Becoming Jane
by hecalledmecarrots
Summary: AU. Set in my Drawing Parallels universe. PLEASE READ IT FIRST (found here /s/11382181/1/Drawing-Parallels otherwise it will not make much sense) Jane has a interesting ride ahead of her. Becoming herself is really not something she ever thought she would have any problems with... who knew finding ones self could be so troublesome?
1. To be 15

Greetings everyone!

I am so glad so many of you loved Drawing Parallels so much! So this is going to be a smaller follow up to it! (Found in the link here s/11382181/1/Drawing-Parallels) It was my personal project to give Anne the family she always craved for yet still have her fall for Gilbert and also for Gilbert to have the full on in law experience!

This story features the characters we became accustom to in the last story but with them a little older. It also instead of focusing soley on Anne and Gilbert (although they do feature heavily in it) This focuses round the now 15 year old Jane! (yes Anne's little sister Jane! They grow up so fast!)

 **Please note** , Unless you read Drawing Parallels first, this is not going to make much sense to you as its based in an AU (Alternative Universe) and features heavily in the characters I created (Along with Alternative versions of the characters so wonderfully made by L M Montgomery) for this universe.

please please read DRAWING PARALLELS FIRST!

Yey! We get to see more of the Shirley's and now Blythe's and Shirley's and (The heavily hinted at but never said because they were too young in the last one) PAYTON'S!

So this is going to be a little different but I hope you all enjoy!

This is Jane's coming of age story.

* * *

Life in Jane Shirley's mind was always more beautiful then in real life.

For example, if it was up to her, she wouldn't be walking home at all. She would be in a horse drawn carriage with a lady in waiting.

She'd be fed grape's and strawberry bonbons, all day!

And she wouldn't need to go to school at all.

She certainly wouldn't be walking home with her twin brother in tow, his best friend Andy and Bertha.

Not that it looked bad.

Bertha had somehow inherited the genes of mousy brown hair with blue eyes. It made no sense to anyone in the family. Although stand her next to the other Shirley's you could tell she was one. She was now eleven.

Walter (or Walt as he went by now adays) was a duplicate of his father. At an apparently young age, Walt had decided that he should be like his father in every way and not just in the looks department. He was going to be a teacher. Tall and lean but incredibly handy at fixing things up, although that again was a Shirley trait. He was serious about becoming a teacher and was working hard to remain top of the class, or at least that was, equal with Andy.

His best friend Andy, lived not far from them his family were scientists, of some kind, she wasn't exactly sure what they were involved in, but, from what Jane understood quite well off, And Andy was, genius kind of smart! He father however had ignores his wife's pleas to send Andy to private school and said that public school would do him just fine, however if he stuck at his work if he chose to go to university that is when they would support him. Andy was a thin boy, Jane often thought he was so skinny he looked like a rake, he had straight brown hair and he wore glasses which were so thick, Jane suspected that the glass made his eyes looked bigger then they actually were. No one had blue eyes that big! He also had lips which were far too big for his face! It was him who she was addressing as they came to the gate at Rosebud.

"And thats why Mr Fitz William Darcy is every girls dream, Andy!" Jane exclaimed to her walking companion. "Even a cold hearted _scientist_ like yourself should know, a great estate like Pemberley would take any girls heart!" She exclaimed.

"I don't think that was the point Austen was making Jane."

"Oh of course it isn't!" Jane exclaimed then gave a sideways glance to her walking partner "but it certainly helps!" She wiggling her eyebrows at his playfully. He laughed of course.

Everyone did with Jane. She was this wistfully wonderful girl and any boy who she deemed worthy of her time was honoured with her presence. Seven years have passed since we last saw the Shirley's, Jane now fifteen was much like her older sister at that age, at least to look at, her personality however was quite different.

Her long red hair in a long red plait which went down her back her dazzling grey eyes (though Andy was sure when they were little they used to be green?) Her slender body curved naturally with her clothes almost as if she was grown from it. She had inherited the Shirley brains but that is where the comparison ended, at least to all around her.

And she was glad of it.

She loved her siblings she loved her family but they were all such bores when it came to life and adventure, was she the only one who wanted to live in the moment and not for some distant far off dream?

They were at the Shirley's gate her mother (unseen to her) was sitting quietly on the veranda when the revving of an engine of a motorcycle was heard down the street, she turned and followed the sound with her eyes.

"Jane!" Her mother called up the path as Walt and Bertha went past her with a kiss to her, "Won't you come in?" she asked her.

She stood her ground as the sound came closer coming in front of her and Andy.

"Hey Shirley." The boy said who was driving it. This boy was quite the opposite to the boy standing next to her. This boy had straight black hair which was slicked back from his face, his eyes were almost black in colour, though Jane had no idea how they could be so dark!

Her face flushed. She knew this boy was the only boy which made her flush. He was dangerous and fun.

"Wanna ride?" he asked her tapping the seat behind him.

"Jane?" her mother called coming up the path.

She paused for a moment, firstly looking behind her to her mother then in front of her to the boy.

If that wasn't a sign to Jane she didn't know what was. The boy, in front of her was her future her mother and family behind. Behind in everything!

"I'm going out mother!" she called as she went to the motorcycle.

"Jane those things are dangerous." Andy told her.

"Who stuck the stick in your butt?" The boy on the motorcycle asked him.

"Don't be mean Trev." She told him, slapping gently on the arm as she made herself comfortable in side saddle "he's a darling and looking out for me."

Trev eyed the boy not much older than Jane, "keeping my girl safe." He said with a nod. He reached taking off Andy's hat and messed his hair. "Good boy." He said as if Andy were a little dog. He turned on his bike and rode away with Jane in tow just in time for her mother reaching the gate.

Bertha looked to Andy sympathetically "I hate that jerk." He muttered putting his hat back on his head.

"I think we all do dear."

"Can't you stop her?"

"If I could? But we both know what Jane is like once she gets an idea inside her head now don't we?" Bertha told Andy.

Andy sighed. "Good evening Mrs Shirley." He said in self defeat.

"Good evening Andy." She said with a shake of the head and a look down the road before she sighed herself and went inside.

* * *

"You have interesting friends Shirley." He said to her as he kissed into the crook of her neck as she blew the cigarette smoke out.

"Andy's sweet." She said simply her nose still upturned, relaxing into him as they sat at 'Far Point' on his motorcycle. "and can stay in school which is more than I can say for you."

He glared at her for a moment "I'm eighteen, I don't have to be there." He told her. "Unlike your little friend."

She slapped him playfully. "He's not so little!" She said taking the cigarette out his fingers and drawling some herself "He's my age."

Trev snatched back the cigarette and drawled the rest out greedily. She snatched the bud from him and stomped on it. "Pig." She told him.

"Then dump me." He told her straight pulling her close to him. "I could tell all the boys just how _loose_ you are Jane." He said bringing his hand up to cup her breast. She pulled free and slapped him hard across the face before he did.

"And I should tell them just how _small you_ are." She told him spitefully. "They'd soon work out which one of us was the liar."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him again kissing her as he went. "Liar." He whispered to her.

"So are you." She told him frankly. "I won't have sex with you Trev."

"You know what I think?" he told her. "I should have dated a redhead a long time ago." He said to her kissing again into her neck. "You're far more fiery and dangerous than the other girls."

"Well learn how to treat a girl like a lady you might just keep me." She said breathlessly with his kissing.

"Oh Shirley, don't you know it…" he said in a low tone. "Its exactly that which is keeping us together."

* * *

It was so much later than it should have been as Jane arrived home. She noticed the lights from the upstairs. Walt and Bertha were the only other two siblings still at home. Like good little siblings they were in their bedrooms. She tried opened the backdoor quietly to find her mother at the kitchen table.

"Good evening baby girl." She said gently.

Jane tutted "You shouldn't have bothered staying up." Jane informed her.

Bertha smiled. "You always stay up." She sighed. "You'll learn that one day when you have your own children." She told her.

"I don't want no bratty kids." Jane sulked. "Bringing a child into this already overpopulated world to drain its resources…." She started.

"Is that what we did?" Bertha asked her gently.

Jane huffed. Didn't her mother ever anger? "That's not what I meant!" she spat.

"You were out with him again weren't you?" Bertha questioned her daughter to which she got no response but a pair of raised eyebrows. "I see. You missed dinner." Bertha continued.

"I'm not hungry." She lied.

Bertha took a big gulp of air in. "Well then, it seems in overpopulating the world, we haven't drained the resources all we could today then…" she said getting up she walked over to her daughter "all the same Jane, I'm glad you are home." She said and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "I love you. Goodnight Jane." She said gently.

Jane stood in the kitchen for a moment too angry at her mother to even move. That was it! She was sick of this. She reached up to the cupboard to a jar and took the contents.


	2. Meet the Blythe's

**Hi Folks,**

 **I am so glad so many of you are so happy to see these Shirley's again and want to know what happened with them. I actually love these guys myself and they are very much alive inside my mind and I care about where they are and what happens to them.**

 **Thank you for loving them too!**

 **Here's the second chapter**

 **love**

 **Carrots**

* * *

Gilbert was so happy he could barely contain himself as he entered the bedroom he shared with Anne.

"Joyce and the boys are asleep…" he started removing his shirt "…for once all the residence of St Glen and the surrounding areas are all in perfect health…" he continued as he attempted to remove his trousers, the sight of which was comedic as the trouser leg was stuck half way down his calf making him jump funnily butt naked across the room, this made Anne laugh "…or else they aren't complaining about it…" he continued confused as to what had caught his trousers. He finally managed to untangle himself from the material and he jumped on the bed feeling up Anne's body as he went "…and I'm not the least bit tired oh dearest wife." He said lying her back and kissing into her neck. "…What pray tell can you do to help me…?" he flirted as he squeezed her breast and she giggled in delight.

"Oh I think I can think of a few ways…" she laughed before he kissed her on the lips bringing his hand up to her hair.

"Ermmm tell me more!" He asked her. "You know what really had me going?" he murmured and he kissed her.

"Erm." She murmured as he locked their lips again.

"That dress you wore today." He said gently. "You looked ever so alluring in it Anne."

They locked lips again as his hand rubbed over her stomach then started to make its journey southwards.

It was then two things happened at once. There was a loud knock which bounded through the house and the telephone started to ring downstairs.

They paused briefly in the kiss and looked at each other as Gilbert pulled back. "I should have known I'd jinx it!" he said before he buried himself in his wife's bosom.

Anne stroked into his curls for a second. "The door or the phone?" she asked him.

"The door." He resigned jumping up and shoving his clothes back on. He was at the top of the stairs when Anne answered the telephone.

"Hello?" she said as she watched Gilbert descend down the stairs. "Mamma!" she said surprised in delight. Gilbert walked past her tucking in his shirt and kissing her forehead before he made his way to the door. Anne went into the study fully. "Sorry?" Anne said in surprise tone, although Gilbert had no idea about why she was so surprised until he opened the door. "Jane has what? What do you mean gone?!" Anne asked her.

"Anne!" Gilbert called.

"Mamma calm down… I'm sure she's fine." Anne continued.

"I'm sure she is." Gilbert said, the fifteen-year-old redhead tucked into his side.

"Mamma, it's okay. Mamma, Jane is here." Anne said in her confusion.

The phone was loud and clear as they all could hear the panic in Bertha's voice "She is?!" she exclaimed. "Is she okay?" she asked through obvious tears.

Anne looked to her sister who simply nodded. "She's fine mamma." She said gently and she turned back to the phone as Gilbert took Jane out of the room.

"Oh I'm so glad she went to family!" Bertha sighed in relief.

Anne stood silent for a moment "Not that I mind…" Anne said "but can I ask why?" she asked her mother as she noticed Gilbert take her into the parlour.

"I don't know Anne she just up and left! She came home late after being with that boy and I kissed her goodnight and when her bed wasn't slept in..." she sighed. "I should have known something was wrong when Walt woke up from that nightmare! He said he dreamt it! He dreamt Jane was going away and he was in tears. He's barely spoken a word all day!"

"You must have some idea what's going on mamma really?" She questioned.

"Honestly, my first thought is that she went up to Far Point with that boy."

"Far Point?!" Anne asked in shock. "Mamma," she asked with a blush. "well it might have changed since Gil and I were courting but you only went up to Far Point for one thing." Anne said quietly into the phone.

"Its still the case." Bertha said to her daughter

"Oh." Anne said almost turning beetroot red herself. "I see."

"But then I saw him drive past in that motorcycle this afternoon well that's when I really started to panic."

"its okay mamma dear. Let her stay here mamma until whatever this is has blown over we can talk to her, maybe talk some sense into her, the time away might do her some good and give her a little perspective. "

"I hope you're right Anne." Her mother said.

"And you can tell Walt not to have any nightmares Jane is safe and here."

Pleasantries made of good nights Anne put down the receiver to hear one of the children stir, she sighed for a moment. Looks like Gilbert and her weren't going to have that 'early night' once again, she though as she ascended up the stairs.

* * *

"I understand the part where you feel no one understands what you are feeling Jane but you are really going to have to run past me again how running away here is helping you be with him? " Gilbert asked her.

"What difference does it make?" She sighed. "If I'm there I can't be with him, if I'm here I can't be with him." Before she muttered on the end "At least here I'm away from them!"

Gilbert tried not to show the annoyance on his face. Bertha and Walter Shirley were the best in laws he ever could have hoped for. Their child they had raised in love should not be disrespecting them. He was also painfully aware that he and Anne were her only links to her parents right now and she didn't need to be alienated. He sat beside her and looked to her.

"Are you sure this boy has given no reason for your parents to be so concerned?" He asked her.

"Gilbert, no, I promise." She said, she looked to him with wide grey eyes trying to fool her brother. "I swear it." He looked at her quiet seriously. Anne had only been a year older then Jane was now when they had met. He looked at Jane and saw Anne, the only difference being that Jane's red hair was a strawberry blond and not a bright red like Anne's. He took a sigh and put his arm around her, trying to think of a solution, to which she hugged into him. "Thank you, big brother." She whispered. "I knew I could depend on you."

He let out the sigh. "Come on we should all get to bed." He said. "You must be exhausted!"

They started to make their way up the stairs. The smaller fourth bedroom was very small but had a bed and a beautiful set of slim lined draws in them. Anne had made the room especially pretty and bright so that the visitors still felt welcome.

"Were you and Anne already in bed when I came?" she asked him.

"Erm, yeah, we'd decided on an early night." He told her.

She sighed. "Gosh Gil!" she said. "You are only 15 years older than me and you were in bed by half past eight!" she sighed. "When I'm old enough my bedtime will be half eleven and no one will stop me!" she said her nose upturning.

Gilbert smiled. "three children and a district of patients would teach you otherwise." He told her lightly.

Jane looked at him seriously as if she was trying to work him out. "You _were just sleeping, weren't_ you?"

Gilbert couldn't help the cocky smirk which was playing at his lips "Sure we were." He told her "And when you're old enough I'll give you the real answer."

"Urgh!" She exclaimed. "That's disgusting!" She exclaimed as Gilbert chuckled.

"Well where did you think three babies came from?" He asked her. "They didn't get here via a stork now did they?"

She fake covered her ears. "Enough, Enough!" she exclaimed. "I'm a child and I'm too young to hear such things!" she said.

Gilbert laughed and pulled her in for a hug. "Night baby sister." He told her.

"Night big brother. Thanks for this." She told him.

He looked at her as she walked down the hallway. "Say Jane?" he called.

"Yeah?" She said turning round to look at him.

"When you feel up to going back home… and you will feel up to it one day, but when you do, we could come with you if you like? I think I would like to meet this Trev fella?" he asked of her.

Jane's eyes lit up and went wide as she smiled. "Really!?" She asked him. He smiled and nodded. "Oh I would love that!" She squealed as she ran back to him and jumped into his arms. There was a small cry of a baby to the room on the left of them both their eyes went wide and Gilbert instinctively whispered shush. The stirring was a small one and past to which Gilbert sighed.

"I'll tiptoe to bed!" Jane whispered smiling at Gilbert.

"Probably for the best." He said to her putting her back on the floor again.

* * *

"You said what?!" Anne asked him as he talked her through Jane's side of the story.

"Look at it this way, I'm an emotionally detached third party who was, you might recall was ostracized by your father for simply having a crush on his daughter."

"And as I recall mama fully supported you through it and you weren't riding around like a hooligan on a motorcycle." Anne smiled as she shook her head. "So its hardly a fair comparison." She laughed. "And anyway, I doubt Jane even remembers that."

"Not the point." Gilbert said tucking himself next to her in bed. "If its an unfair assessment I can take my concerns to your parents like an adult, and if it is as we suspect and this boy is not up to standard for Jane, then maybe we can influence her back to the right side."

Anne sighed. "Mamma said she thought Jane and him went up to Far point." Anne told him. To which Gilbert looked up to her in shock.

"My Jane has never been to Far Point!" he exclaimed

Anne laughed. "You don't know that. She's not the little baby girl you first picked up in your arms all those years ago."

"She is, she is! She's three! Telling me… rather demanding me to 'lift' her."

"She's fifteen and if ma and pap are right, playing a dangerous game. Even if she hasn't done anything…" she paused for a moment looking for the right word "…unvirtuous. If she's with this boy who has a reputation she'll be unvirtuous by association. Which is worse really." She let out a little sigh. "I think you're letting your favouritism get the better of you."

Gilbert gave out a small huff, "She's my second favourite Shirley." He whispered. "I married my first favourite." He looked to Anne "I just can't believe anything bad of Jane."

"I think everyone back home has given up." Anne admitted. "I don't think they know what to do." Anne smiled at him and kissed his cheek fondly. "I bet you won't." she told him with silver eyes. "Are you hatching up a plan in that mind of yours?" She asked him.

He grinned slightly as she looked at him. "Maybe." He admitted.

"Maybe huh?" Anne smiled as she kissed him lightly.

He grinned and chuckled as they kissed. "What time is it?" he asked her.

"Ten." She told him.

"So…" he trailed kissing down her cheek to her throat "where were we earlier?" he flirted.

She felt herself being eased into the mattress she smiled enjoying the kisses down her neck. "Gilbert Blythe!" She exclaimed quietly

"Aww come on sweetheart." He swayed her gently. "You know you love it when I show you just how much I appreciate you." He murmured into her.

She smiled "mmmm…" she swayed. "I thought we were going to wait before having another?" she smiled.

"I'll go before it happens." He said reverently.

She slapped him gently, "that's how Walter-John happened!" She giggled.

"that was three years ago." He defended.

"That was four years ago…." She corrected him their youngest son now 3 years and 3 months old.

"So…" He whispered. "I've had more practice." He flirted. "I'm getting better at it all the time." He whispered and looked up at her.

"I believe you had a little extra hel…."

She never finished the sentence.


	3. The Problem with Jane

"Aunty Jane!" Joyce squealed as Jane came into the dining room the next morning while they were having breakfast. "Aunty Jane!" She said jumping into her arms. "When did you get here?!" her head turned and looked at her mother "Did you know Aunty Jane was here!?"

"Is she?" Anne exclaimed, "I hadn't noticed!"

"I came for a surprise visit last night." Jane smiled at Joyce. "How are you?" She asked.

"I'm going to be a ballerina!" She exclaimed.

"Oh?" Joyce said looking at Gilbert who was smiling. "I thought you wanted to be the first female fire lady?" she asked her.

"I changed my mind." Joyce shrugged to which Jane laughed gaily.

"It is a women's prerogative." Gilbert smiled. "Or so I'm told." He gave Anne a quick kiss, "I best be off." kissed his two sons. "The sick won't heal themselves." She said smiling at Jane and Joyce as Jane put the little girl on the floor to free her hands. "You'll help Anne while you're here?" He asked Jane.

"Of course." Jane smiled hugging Gilbert.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed into her hair. "Thank you, Jane." He said simply. He picked up his daughter and threw her in the air a couple of times blowing raspberries into her cheeks as she came down and hugged him. He looked at his daughter and smiled at the same big huge grey eyes which Anne and Jane shared with Joyce, but his bounces of curly brown hair twirled to her shoulders. Anne's perfect nose and pointed chin and his cheeks and ears, Joyce was a perfect mix of him and Anne. "Kisses for Papa." He said merrily, to which she turned his head and place lots of quick little kisses on his cheek. He cradled her to the floor, then said with a hint of regret. "Must go." He opened the door. "Love you all." He called.

Jane smiled at his call as he left and looked towards the closed door for a moment before she said "Papa used to do that." She said, Anne could hear a hint of melancholy in her voice.

"Yes, he always did." Anne recalled.

Jane sat down and looked towards her breakfast bowl sadly, "he doesn't anymore."

Anne looked at her in a shock her sister never saw as her head was down looking sadly into the bowl.

* * *

"Ladies!" Anne said as she went into her church group with not only three but four followers. "I'd like to introduce you to my sister Jane." Anne started before anyone could ask any questions. "She's came to stay with us for a couple of weeks." She settled her children into a play den.

One old lady looked suspiciously at Jane whose own look of scepticism wasn't helping the ladies opinion. "Erm Mrs Blythe?" She said to Anne.

"Yes Mrs Collins?" She asked as sweetly as she could under the circumstances.

"Shouldn't she be in school?" She accused her. One of Jane's eyebrows escaping her control and went upwards in shock at the way the accusation was made.

"I have sent for Jane's school work to come here Mrs Collins, I'm more then qualified to watch over her education am I not?"

"mmm." She said. "That's another thing, I'm not sure its entirely healthy for a girl to be too educated in your ways, are you planning on going to university like your sister?" The old lady asked Jane with an eye of disapproval.

Jane had no such plans to do so and she knew Anne knew it. She glanced at her sister whose own face was caught between bemusement and complete fear of what exactly Jane might say. "Yes, I shall." She said her little nose going in the air. "And I don't think there is anything wrong with a girl getting any level of education she wants." She continued. "You can't ask in one breath why I'm not in school and then in the next tell me I can't get an education, you hypocrite."

"Now listen here little girl…" Mrs Collins started.

"Jane…." Anne started.

"I am not little!" Jane objected "I'm 15 years old!"

"Um. And little you should know at 15, I was married at 15." She huffed.

Jane lost her temper hotly. "And no doubt pregnant already with your first child when the union took place!"

"Jane!" Anne said sharply in shock.

"You all know no pregnancy only lasts six months, ever thought of it ladies!" Jane continued.

"Jane…" Anne tried.

"What right have you…." Mrs Collins stood matching the girl's body language but by no means her temper.

"What right have you!" Jane continued. "Yes, lets discuss that, shall we? My sister, me, any girl with half a glint of personality wants more then to be a brainless follower of the masses and just because your choices stopped you from going further in life it doesn't mean it will stop me or my sister or my nieces or anyone from doing anything they want!"

"I should say!" Mrs Collins continued.

"Yes you should!" Jane continued. "My sister is a fantastic teacher and it is her right to be educated and mine too! You bigoted old hag!" she said then turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her.

By this time Anne's hand was over her mouth her eyes grimacing at the on slaughter she knew the rest of the meeting would be now.

Mrs Collins turned to Anne, giving her the look of disapproval Anne had tried so hard to remove from the women's face, for Gilbert's sake. "Do you all have red hair dear?" she said harshly to Anne.

Anne could feel her own temper rise but bit it back. "No, Mrs Collins we don't."

The old women sat back down and glared at Anne. "Its so unbecoming." Mrs Collins said, not making it clear whether or not it was the red hair or the behaviour which was unbecoming, though Anne suspected Mrs Collins meant both.

* * *

Anne found Jane at the end of the meeting sitting on the church wall making daisy chains. Anne stood with the buggy for a moment Joyce holding her hand while the other ladies passed them, the last of which Mrs Collins walked with a huff and nose held high. Anne's eyes rolled as she did so and looked up at her sister in the wall. "Are you coming down? " Anne asked her.

"Are you going to be angry at me?" Jane asked Anne.

"Do you want me to be? " Anne asked.

"S-sorry?" she asked confused.

"Well ma and pa rarely loose their temper which makes me think you must want the attention of an angry parent if you behave like that round a calm one."

Jane jumped from the wall and landed next to her sister.

"Tell me I can behave better, tell me how disappointed you are in me, to behave that way to a complete stranger is terrible."

Anne started walking silently her sister soon followed. "I don't think I need to Jane." She replied.

Jane looked to her wide eyed. She stopped suddenly and stomped her foot "Tell me it!" Jane demanded.

Anne smiled gently. "Why?" Anne asked her. "what does that give you permission to do?"

"Oh you are just like mama!" She exclaimed walking quickly past her sister and ahead in no time.

Joyce looked up at her mother "What's wrong with Aunty Jane?" She asked her.

"I think I have a fair idea." Anne said with a smile to her child. "Its becoming ever clearer."

* * *

Gilbert came and sat with her out on the rocks that evening. Anne told him what had happened.

"You've had quite the day." Gilbert said with a knowing smile to Jane to which he received no response. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes to which Jane looked at him in shock when he said "want one?"

She swallowed quickly and looked him in the eyes "You don't smoke."

He nodded slightly in agreement "No, I don't quite right. Only when I am forced to at those ridiculous gentlemen's parties" She looked confused at him. "but you do."

"I…I…" She said blushing. "How could you know that?"

"The very tips of your finger tips are a shade darker than the rest of your finger along with the tips of your teeth, implying although you don't smoke very often you do still smoke. You've had a persistent cough which is coming from the chest and when you arrived yesterday you were shaking and sweating something which happens when people are missing it."

"Oh." She said silently. "And the brand?" She asked him.

"I've noticed the different brands have slightly different smells to them. I recognised it last night when you hugged me." He shrugged. "I took these off a patient who is struggling for breath."

Jane looked at Gilbert again. "I thought it was meant to clear the lungs."

Gilbert sighed. "Some people think I'm a crack pot, but in my experience when people smoke these things it doesn't clear anything." He paused. "I could be proved wrong one day, my doctors licence taken from me, but it'll be taken with a clear conscious at least. I'm doing what I believe is best for my patients."

"Defying science?" Jane said with a smirk to him.

"King James the first said that tobacco was _loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, and in the black, stinking fume thereof nearest resembling the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomless."_ He smiled at Jane "Who am I to disagree with a king?"

Jane laughed at this and finally shook her head. "I'll pass this time I think." She said. He shrugged again and put the cigarettes back in his pocket.

"About Mrs Collins.." he started.

"Gil…" She started trying to interrupt him.

"She's a vile woman." Gilbert said in a low voice which made Jane's mouth hang open in shock that Gilbert could speak badly about anyone. "She has really tried to make Anne's life a misery since we got here." He carried on. "But Anne has been her very sweet self, patient and too kind to her." Gilbert took a sigh, "I never had the guts to tell her to her face what I thought of her. You are braver than I am." He looked to her as she looked to him in amazement. "But you see Anne, has really been trying to fit in with these women, she's been biting her tongue and really, has been trying to love them."

Jane wiped away a tear which had come to her eye. "I've made it difficult for Anne." She said to him quietly. "I'm sorry Gil." Gilbert wrapped his arm around her and let her hug into him. "I'm such a mess." She whispered.

"Tell you what?" Gilbert said gently to her. "Stay here for a couple of weeks Jane, lets get you sorted out and then, we'll take you home." He sighed. "Anne is missing home so much."

Jane smiled "will you stay in the bungalow?" She asked him, to which he smiled and nodded.

"Maybe we can get the whole family together?" Gilbert asked. "Just like old times."

Jane smiled "But you'll meet Trev on your own, right? No Willis or Tom or…"

"No." Gilbert confirmed. "Just me."

She smiled and snuggled back into him. "I should say sorry to Anne too." She said repentantly.

He stood up and pulled her up too he wrapped his arm around her hugging her as they went in.

"Was I right at least?" Jane asked him. "about Mrs Collins?"

He looked down at her his lopsided grin showing "That is _so_ **not** the point!" he said with a laugh.

"I was right!" She said in a know it all way. "I knew it!"

"You were right." Gilbert agreed.

"Gil, can I ask you something?" She approached him carefully

"Sure." He said quite offhand not expecting what was coming.

"Its about sex." She whispered.

"Oh?" he forced himself to say. While panicking inside his own head about what she was going to ask. Would he need to give her the talk?

"Well just you and Anne, I mean you got married and then didn't have Joyce for two years."

"Um, yeah." He said doing the maths in his own head. "So I could finish medical school."

"So, you didn't have sex?" She asked him.

He paused for a moment and looked to her. "We had sex." He said quietly.

"Then how… I mean, did you have problems conceiving at first?" She tried.

"No, Um, we urh, used…contraception." He finished quietly.

Jane looked to him in shock. "But Gilbert!" She exclaimed "That's illegal!"

He grinned slightly then said, "Not at the time." He told her honestly. "It was only made illegal last year."

"Oh." She said still in surprise. "But… they say it corrupts morals!" she said still clearly confused.

"I suppose it might, in certain circumstances." He said. "God has asked us to be morally clean, including, sexually, when we remove the possible consequences of our actions, we can easily convince ourselves, we are in love and therefore…" he sighed. "…and I promise you I wasn't immune to that way of thinking, the human man in me, I battled with him before marriage…"

Jane looked to him seriously. "I didn't think you had it in you!" She almost gasped.

He grinned. "Well, my prize was very alluring, you Shirley girls are quite the catch." He sighed "We didn't use it to hide what we were doing." He sighed. "Rather to control when we started a family." He said with a shrug. "Are you disappointed in me Jane?" he asked her.

She bit her bottom lip, "no," she said honestly. "It was very responsible to want a way to provide for your family first." She said honestly. "with Anne finishing her degree and writing all those stories, she was in no place to start having babies." She said logically.

Gilbert looked to his sister, "Always a source of surprises you Shirleys." He said with a grin, then looked seriously at his shoes.

"You want to know if I need contraceptives?" Jane asked him. He looked to her wondering if she could read his mind. "Mama gets the same look on her face when she is asking." She said. "I know the boys I'm choosing to be around have a reputation, but I've never let them…" She trailed "And they might be complete pigs but they wouldn't do it to a girl against their wills."

Gilbert nodded.

"And I know I shouldn't put myself in harms way..." she trailed, then took a deep breath.

"I'm not questioning your intentions Jane, you've been raised right," he signed. "Did your parents ever tell you, 'you are who your friends are?'" he asked her. She shrugged and shook her head. "when I was younger my parents always said it and it worried me a little as I got older. " he sighed. "Don't get me wrong there weren't any too bad in Avonlea, just there were certain boys and girls which, I think, I might not be where I am today if I had chosen to be with them."

"Trev isn't a _bad_ fellow _exactly_." Jane said her eyes dazing over like Anne's did when she was pondering over things.

"I never said he was." He told her, "I would never make that judgement until I knew him."

"Oh, I know that." She said quickly. "I'm just thinking outloud really." She said honestly. "Do you suppose, I mean, I _could_ be a good influence on _him_."

Gilbert nodded. "Of course you could be," he smiled. "Its so lovely Jane, you always look for the good in people." He said with a grin, "except maybe Mrs Collins." He said with a laugh.

"She just made me so angry!" Jane exclaimed. "How could she?"

"Because she's a judgmental old hag." Gilbert whispered and looked up and saw his wife sitting quietly on the veranda of their home. "But your sister isn't." he told Jane.

Jane ran to the house and onto the veranda straight into her sisters arms. "I'm sorry Anne." She whispered.

Anne held her and kissed her on her cheek as they pulled back. "There there, all is well." She said and looked at her sister. "I think you need time to work out what it is you want." She said to her sister straight.

"Gilbert said I could stay here a couple of weeks and then we'd all, ALL go back home, together!" Jane said with the biggest smile on her face Anne had seen since she arrived.

Anne looked a little surprised peered at her husband with wide eyes, but replied to her sister "well if Gilbert says it, it must be true!"


	4. Secret Delight

Hello everyone!

Thanks very much for all your feedback, I think in the majority of cases I've PMed you back. with my own private thought on this.

Jane is very different to the rest of the Shirley's isn't she? She's even more hot headed then the original Anne, and I think that's okay. What I didn't want was for me to set up a premise of her being different and then in the next chapter she's all changed all is well. It's not going to happen like that. Her family and her real friends are really going to be there and see the difference in her.

But as well, though it, I want people to see a very vulnerable side to Jane which she protects, but she does it by not being her in some ways and hiding who she is under a facade, (Which Anne actually suspects in this chapter)

One or two of you know what I have planned for her, where I'm going in some respects.

I'm so glad you all care enough to come back and check on Anne's 'siblings', all of whom I made up. I think I've said it before they are all so alive inside my head. I know each one. Some I know more then others, but they are all there.

love

Carrots x

* * *

Jane sat on the veranda, books in hand studying the work which had been sent up from Charlottetown just that day. Anne had insisted on her starting right away she didn't want to fall behind! She watched as her sister entertained the three small children round her. The had gone into the garden to pick flowers she smiled as Joyce stilled her mother to slide flowers into Anne's hair clumsily, while Anne made a daisy chain fit for a queen she placed it nimbly on her head as if Joyce were a queen. Jane laughed as she saw Joyce curtsy to Anne as if she were royalty. The boys came to Anne with cardboard swords and dubbed to be knighted by their Queen-Anne.

Jane grinned at the sight.

"Aunty Jane!" Joyce called. "come play with us!"

"I can't." Jane said with a kind smile to her niece. "I must finish this school work." She told her. With that Joyce ran into the garden as Anne came up and looked at her schoolwork from behind.

"Well…" She said kindly. "At least in all this you've not fallen behind in your studies."

"Papa wouldn't allow it." She simply said.

"Would you?" Anne asked her still on the chair opposite and putting her feet on a free chair.

Jane shrugged and looked down at her school work. "What does it feel like Anne?" She asked her sister. "Being a grown up? Making all your own decisions without someone looking over your shoulder."

Anne smiled widely and looked to Jane. "Exactly as I would have felt at 15 and making the decisions I have to." She said to her truthfully. Anne took a sigh and continued. "Being a grown-up, isn't all its made out to be. Sometimes I wish I had mama over my shoulder telling me which choice to make."

"Isn't that the beauty of being a grown-up!" Jane exclaimed. "I mean look at you, you have Gilbert and Joyce, Gil Jr and Walter-John…." She trailed.

"But think on it." Anne counter-argued. "What if, Gilbert and I get into a disagreement? What if we fought?" she said. "Wouldn't it be grand to have someone there telling you how to resolve things peacefully?"

"You and Gilbert never argue!?" Jane looked in shock towards her sister. "Do you?"

"And what about my babies?" She asked Jane, "What if I'm raising them wrong?!" She exclaimed. "Oh what I wouldn't do for some motherly advice, Ma knows better than me she's had eight of us!"

"She only messed up on one of us at least." Jane muttered quietly.

Anne looked to her sister quite seriously, "I don't think she's messed up on any of us Jane." Anne told her honestly. Jane looked up at Anne with more hope in her eyes then Anne had seen in her little sister since she arrived. "Come now Jane, are you really beyond hope?" Anne asked.

"You don't think I'm a delinquent?" Jane asked Anne.

Anne laughed. "Well, I hope you are not." Anne said. "But then, its always up to you to control your own destiny." Anne brought her feet down and clasped her hands in front of us. "We've been brought up with unusual freedoms Jane, ones which other girls, our peers don't get from their parents, never mind society." Anne paused a moment as she saw the thought sink into Jane's mind it seemed to affect her somehow, before she continued. "Do you really think Mama and Papa brought us into this world to overpopulate it?"

Jane looked to Anne in shock. "She _told_ you." Jane blushed.

"Do… do _you_ think we are overpopulating the world Jane?" Anne said looking towards her own children. "That they are a waste of space and resources?"

"No!" Jane objected quickly. "No, not ever… not Joyce nor Gil Jr. or Walter-John!" Anne looked at her sister with wide eyes, Jane knew so well. "I…" her heart raced.

"Have you been taking some secret delight in expressing opinions which are not your own to try and hurt or get a rise out of mamma?" Anne asked her. Jane looked down to her lap, shamefully. "You know, I was there, when you were born." She said quietly.

Jane looked up at her sister. "Really?" she asked with a happy glimmer in her eye.

Anne smiled and nodded. "I got to hold you while Mamma was pushing with Walt." She sighed. "I remember looking at you and just thinking how much mamma really would have wanted you, to go through what she went through and how much she really must love us all."

Jane went silent. "but twins…" She said quietly. "Don't you wonder Anne, if she had a choice would she really of had twins, one of us was an accident?" She said self-defeated.

Anne looked at Jane with a tear in her own eye. "Who put that thought into your head?" Anne asked her.

Jane dare not admit it was her new group of friends which put it there. She had been with Trev when a few of his friends came over and one of them knew her family.

 _"So, you're a twin right?" one had asked._

 _"Oh." Jane said confused. "Yes, that's right." She confirmed._

 _"So, which one of you were the accident?" he had said._

 _Trev had said nothing to defend her, and, on reflection Jane thought, had actually encouraged the idea of her not being wanted by the end of the conversation had said_

 _"Come away with me," he had told her._

 _"where?" she asked._

 _"Somewhere, where you are wanted." He said with a wry smile._

"I think a twin is a miracle." Anne said softly to her. "You get to hold and love two babies at once." Anne smiled "and then of course there's that twin bond thing, of all the people, in all the world, Walt couldn't be away from you." Anne said. "And mamma…" Anne sighed softly "If you had seen the way she looked at you both when you were born, you would know what a miracle you are." She sighed and kissed her sister in her hair. "Especially to a mamma." Anne looked at her sisters work again.

Jane's eyes met her sisters, tears forming in them, "Anne," She whispered. "Did you always want babies? I mean isn't that why you and Gilbert used birth control?" she asked.

Anne laughed, "he told you that, hm?" Anne remarked. "we didn't think it was the best time yet." Anne emphasized.

"But did you want babies?" Jane asked, "Always? Or did that change?" she asked.

Anne shuddered. "I didn't think about it before Gilbert, but I was 16 when I met him and I never thought about babies before that." She sighed "I didn't want a boys attention like that before…" she trailed.

"Your first love." Jane said.

Anne smiled and nodded "My first love." Anne looked to her sister. "And yours? Who is your first love?"

Jane shook her head and laughed. "I don't think love is the best word for it." She acknowledged. "For a while it was dangerous and fun, but then, I don't know, it was like I was doing it because that's what I did."

"Habit forming behavior." Anne said.

"Yeah." Jane answered. "I suppose that's exactly what it was."

"It's a shame." Anne replied to her. "It's a shame you didn't get to share your first kiss with your first love." Anne said, "its very powerful, those kisses, those promises…"

"I haven't you know." Jane said feeling like she had to defend herself again. "I mean kissing yes but not…"

"You've said." Anne said in return. "Do you think I don't believe you?" Anne asked her.

"Mamma doesn't, she keeps asking."

"I believe you." Anne confirmed. "But Jane it's a dangerous game you are playing. Toying with those emotions."

"What do you know?" Jane said again trying to defend her position, "it was always Gil with you, it was never anyone else, he was always going to be the one who took your virginity away."

"I might not have toyed with those emotions but someone else did try Jane." Anne proclaimed to her.

Jane looked at her confused. "Someone tried…" Jane looked to her in amazement, "someone tried without your permission?"

Anne's breathing had momentarily stopped, her eyes filling slowly with tears. "Gilbert stopped him before it happened." Anne sighed, "But, this, man, tried to force himself on me yes." She admitted.

Jane looked wide eyed at her. "Anne…" She breathed. "I'm so sorry." She gasped. "I… I didn't know." She said.

"Of course you didn't." Anne admitted, "You were too young to say anything about it to." She sighed. "You see…" She sighed. "I didn't take part in playing those sort of games, but, I certainly know the consequences." She sighed, "If I could prevent you from feeling that pain Jane, I would. If I could shield you from it…" she bit her bottom lip. "But then that would be useless if you deliberately put yourself in harms way, and going to Far Point, being with those kind of people…" she trailed. "Is just that."

Jane's arms went around her sister as hot tears streamed down their faces. "I didn't know." Jane kept whispering.

Anne pulled back and looked at her sister. "Please I beg of you Jane." She started. "please, change your behavior before you are in harms way. Don't make decisions either way about babies at 15, we've both seen what that does to people!" Anne exclaimed with a playful raised brow the sight of which Jane giggled. "Make that decision when you are with your Gilbert, the man you'll marry, because he will see into your soul like no one else can." She said. She looked to Jane. "Is Trev your Gilbert?" Anne asked her seriously.

"I.." Jane swallowed "I don't, think so. No, he isn't, he's no Gilbert." She sighed. "Do you think there is a Gilbert out there for everyone?"

Anne smiled "Oh yes Jane. Diana found her Fred, Mary found her Alex, I found my Gilbert and you find yours. You'll know, one day everything will click into place and you'll know. He understands like no one else does, possibly even Walt." Anne said with a laugh to Jane. She looked at her sisters work again "You know, you are further along then I thought you were, take a well deserved break, Why don't you go and play with your niece and nephew?" Anne asked her.

Jane looked at Anne with a full smile. "Really?" She asked to which Anne smiled and nodded.

"I think they need a woodland princess to reign over them!" Anne confirmed. Jane smiled and ran to her niece and nephew.

Anne smiled fondly. She couldn't believe it had been fifteen years ago that Jane was just that baby she had held in her arms. And Anne didn't know for sure although she suspected, despite this façade Jane had been playing, she was still the sweet little girl she always had been.


	5. coming home

Gilbert only tapped gently on the doorframe as they went into the house. A turn of blond hair looked towards the door from the kitchen.

"Gilbert!" Bertha smiled running to her son in law.

"Bertha!" He said wrapping his arms around her for a small embrace.

"Oh my boy!" She said pulling back and smiling as she went. "How are you? You look tired."

"He's always tired, mama." Anne said coming in behind him. Bertha ran to her eldest child sweeping her up though they were the same height. "It's the nature of being a doctor."

Bertha laughed and turned to him again "Not while you are here, understood?"

Gilbert grinned in self defeat holding his hands in the air.

"Mar Mar Urly!" Walter-John cried as he came through the door toddling towards her.

"Walter-John!" She exclaimed, then seeing her other two grandchildren by Gilbert and Anne melted her she crouched to the floor allowing all of them to run into her embrace. "Oh Gilbert Jr, oh Joyce! Oh my babies!" she said kissing them all. She stood up and kissed into Anne's hair. "My precious, precious…" she trailed as She looked towards the door. The three Blythe children (closely monitored by Joyce) made their way to their parents who took them into the parlour.

When the door closed, Jane didn't know what to say. She, like a mouse said "Hello Mother."

Bertha reached for her bringing her into a hug. "My baby." She whispered as she hugged into Jane. Jane, still not sure what was happening brought her arms around her mother. "My precious baby girl." She whispered as she started to cry. This sent Jane into an unfamiliar sadness as she too started to spill tears.

"Mama," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." She said, to which the only response she got from her mother was more tears. "Please forgive me."

"Always." Her mother whispered. "Though do your best not to do that to me again baby girl?" She asked of her. "You scared your mother half to death!"

"Mama the money I took from the jar…" Jane started

"You don't need to worry…" Her mother tried to reassure her.

"But I do!" Jane insisted. "Mama, I'll pay you back, every penny." She said.

Bertha looked to her daughter "then I have no need to worry do I?"

Jane felt a familiar feeling building inside of her. "Oh why must you always forgive me? I'm the rottenest of daughters!" she exclaimed.

Bertha shrugged. "Because you are my child." She sighed. Bertha embraced her again. "I love you baby Jane."

"I love you too mama." She said humbly. "Can I help with anything?" Jane asked seeing her mother was again part way through cooking.

"You could set the table if you would sweetheart." Bertha told her, before the door opened and there stood Jane's twin Walter.

"Walt." Jane said.

"Do you have any idea how lonely it is without you?" he said quietly.

Jane glided to her brother, his hands were still in his pockets when she embraced him and they only came out briefly to hold her to him for a moment. "I'm sorry, Walt." She told him.

"My mouth piece, gone!" he said with a wryly grin. "I had to speak for myself and everything!" he said with a little blush. Walter was the quietest by far of the Shirley, everyone had always assumed it was because he had Jane to speak for him, the twins, by birth had a connection which Walter seemed to miss in particular when Jane was gone.

"I'm sorry." Jane said again.

"The table needs doing ma?" He asked his mother.

"Jane was just offering." Bertha smiled.

"We need the garden table." Jane assessed.

"Yes." Walter agreed. "Everyone is coming home today."

"Everyone?" Jane asked as her mother smiled.

"everyone!" Bertha agreed.

The garden table was a very long one. It sat outside under a canopy. The garden was still large despite the cottage which lay in its mist. The table was comfortable enough to sit all the family together and Walt had become ever so handy at doing things himself had wood and nails ready for the ever-expanding Shirley family. It's there where Jane and Walt laid sixteen places and took out one outdoor highchair.

"When is Willis getting here?" Jane asked Walt as they were setting out the table.

"As soon as he's finished his last shoot today," Walt said. "They shouldn't be long after five its only a ten-minute walk from town."

"And Tom?" Jane asked. "I suppose he must be getting the ferry home from Redmond?"

"Yes, he finished classes yesterday, but he wanted plenty of time to make stops along the way, you know how he doesn't like the ferry ride much."

Jane laughed. "He always looks so green coming home!" she looked at her brother. "I am surprised that Mary managed to get the time off. Isn't she in the middle of a tour?"

"I'm not sure how she wangled that one to be honest." Walter shrugged. "All the same Alex expects her home early this afternoon, I'm surprised they aren't here yet."

"Jane!" Sounded Bertha Jr. calling her. "There's a boy at the front door who's wanting to see you that Mamma won't let in the house."

"I'm coming!" She called suddenly very nervous.

"You know, Ma and Pa will never allow you to date someone like Trev." Walt told his sister straight.

"If they just get to know him…" She started.

Walt shook his head "Don't you mean if you just get to know him…"

Jane walked up to the house and through the parlour where Gilbert was. "Gilbert, Trev is here, will you meet him now?"

Gilbert nodded his head and walked slowly behind her as going through the kitchen with her to the veranda.

Jane opened the back door to the young man standing leaning against the railing.

"So this is how they react? The little girl misbehaves so packs her off in hiding?" he asked her. "Where did you go?" he said not noticing Gilbert.

"It wasn't them who sent me away, it was me going away." She told him. "I needed time and space to think."

"Think?" Trev looked again solely at her. "That's a dangerous pastime Shirley." He pulled her close to both hers and Gilbert's surprise. "Especially for your pretty little head."

At this Gilbert cleared his throat.

Trev looked up to him then to Jane. "Who's this?" he asked her.

Jane found herself talking softly and unsure of herself. "My brother, Gilbert."

"Brother?" he said looking at Gilbert again. "You don't look like a Shirley." He said to Gilbert.

"I'm not." Gilbert said to him, it wasn't the first-time people wondered at his parentage.

Trev looked to Jane "So… he's what… your mom had a child by someone else?" he asked Jane.

"No!" Jane blushed. "No, he's… well…" he stuttered. "we adopted each other, a long time ago."

Trev looked confused.

"I married Jane's oldest sister Anne." Gilbert added.

"Oh." Trev said. "So he's an in-law!" Trev said with a scoff to Jane. "That doesn't make him your brother." He looked to Gilbert, "no offense."

"No, I told you we adopted each other long before he married my sister, he's been my brother for as long as I can remember."

Trev simply laughed. "You strange little thing." He said trying to pull Jane closer but she pulled back.

"He's my brother!" She said separating each word individually and emphasising them.

"So…" Gilbert interrupted trying to defuse the situation, "Jane said you've left school Trev, are you in a scholarship or an apprenticeship?" he asked.

"No." Trev said shortly.

"Oh, are you working at your family business?" He asked.

"No." He said shortly again. "I don't want to fix cars."

"Oh your father is a mechanic?" Gilbert asked to which he got go answer but a raised eyebrow and a blushing Jane.

"Do you have brothers or sisters?" Gilbert tried again.

"Nope, just me thank God." He said shortly.

"Do… you… have any plans on what you want to do? I mean one day you'll need to provide for a family."

"No I won't." He said shortly. "Isn't that right babe?" he said pulling Jane to him again.

She swallowed hard. She had known a couple of weeks ago, or at least she thought she had, she didn't want children, but since going to Anne's and Gilbert's house and seeing them with their babies, something had stirred within her, maybe babies wouldn't be so bad Anne's advice not to make up her mind at such an age sounded positively natural right now. "I think we're a little young to have a full opinion on it yet." She said quietly. "Excuse us a minute Gilbert." She said to him and she took Trev down the path to what she thought was out of earshot, however Gilbert had impeccable hearing and heard every word.

"I know you don't do families…" She started quietly. "But Trev, Gilbert is my brother, he can get my parents on our side, don't you see that?" she asked him.

"The whole point of us Shirley is that we don't have your family's permission! We're free of them!"

"But one day…" Jane started.

"No, not one day Shirley." He said grabbing her by the arm, "We don't want this! What is wrong with you!?" he started to sound threatening.

"stop being such a jerk!" Jane exclaimed.

"I am what I am." He threatened over her.

Before Jane could reply Gilbert was behind the boy "Let go of my sister." He said emphasising each word.

"Who are you anyway?" He demanded of Gilbert. "Not even her brother!"

"If you won't listen to him then you listen to me!" Jane demanded of him. "Let me go!" she said pulling her arm free of him moving so she was directly behind Gilbert so he was protecting her.

Trev looked at Gilbert, he wasn't exactly small, in fact he was towering over him and he seemed strong. Trev took a step back. "Fine then." He said to her. "Not as though you mattered anyway." He told her straight. "I've been taking Annabella up to Far Point anyway." Jane looked at him a mixture of shock, anger and upset on her face.

"Well that's fine!" She called not to be defeated as he walked away. "I didn't even want you anymore anyway!" She called to Trev as he got on his motorcycle, just as Andy came up the drive.

"Jane!" he exclaimed seeing her sad face. "What has he done?" he asked.

Jane threw her arms around the boy and sobbed into his shoulder. "He said Gilbert wasn't my brother and he's taken Annabella up to Far Point." She managed in her sobs.

Andy was in shock his arms were mid-air, his breathing not contracting again yet. He looked to Gilbert wide eyed who smirked and backed off inside the house. Andy relaxed a little and placed his arms around her shoulders gently tapping the back of her neck gently. "There there, Jane." He whispered. "If he can't accept Gilbert as your brother he doesn't understand your relationship with your family and as for Annabella, well she's as plain and dull as a dishcloth, now isn't she?" He looked down at her catching her eye, she took a sharp breath then a giggle in her tears.

"You're sweet." Jane said quietly. He smiled and shrugged. "Hey what are you doing here?" She asked him as she pulled away.

"Oh um, Walt wanted to borrow this," he said pulling out a book from his bag "from my family's library." He said with a grin. "More importantly you're here." He said smiling further.

She looked at him seriously for a moment. "You…" she trailed then stopped.

"What?" he asked.

"Just, I mean you don't have to, but if you would like…" she started.

"Okay." He said instantly.

"You don't know what I was going to say?" She questioned.

"Oh, right." He replied and stood in silence waiting for her to speak.

"Well, I mean you don't have to, and I'm sure there are better ways you might like to spend your afternoon, and Lord knows I have plenty of siblings who would stand over my shoulder, but, I mean, I could really do with some help, catching up on all the homework I have."

He stood still looking at her trying to work her out again.

"I mean, it's not too late, is it? To catch up? To you and Walt?" she asked.

There was a marked silence before he said, "It's never too late Jane."

"No I mean to catch up before the end of term."

Andy grinned. "It's never too late Jane." He paused, "Not for you anyway…" he trailed as they started to walk towards the house. "Maybe for Jonah Taylor." He grinned.

"Oh?" Jane asked.

"Failed his midterms again!" Andy told her.

"No!" She exclaimed, "you're making that up!"

"I dare you ask Walt, he'll tell you!"

Jane wistfully laughed "that boy is never going to finish that third reader!" she stopped in her smile "but then its not kind to laugh." She said.

"He spelt 'scapegoat' E-S-C-A-P-S-E-G-O-A-T."

"Oh no, _now_ you're kidding!" she said giggling.

"We were playing chess during recess and he told me to move my 'prawn'." He laughed opening the door for her.

"Thank you." She laughed going through the door. "What did you say?!" she asked.

Andy smiled "Well I decided not to take chess advice from him."


	6. Renew and Refresh

"Hey!" Willis said coming through the door with little Nana in his arms.

"Oh Willis!" Jane said pounding into her brothers arms.

Willis looked a shock for a moment and looked at his mother who smiled the shrugged at Jane's reaction. "Hey there." He said gently.

"Oh Nana!" Jane said seeing the babe in arms too taking her from her brother. "Its been too long! Oh yes it has!" Jane exclaimed addressing the infant walking away.

Willis kissed his mother atop of her head. "Wh-what's going on with Jane?" he asked.

Bertha smiled. "Apparently, a couple of weeks away has sorted her priorities."

Willis looked again to his mother as Jessica and Willis Jr. wandered through to the parlour.

"A couple of weeks and Anne." He said with a smile.

Bertha laughed, "well you can't pretend you don't admire Anne." She said straining the potatoes. "You named your daughter after her." She paused. "How was the shoot?" She asked him.

"Oh so so." He said his lip protruding and he picked up a slice of raw piece of onion and popped it in his mouth.

"Oh Willis!" Bertha said. "I wish you wouldn't do that!" she exclaimed.

"Looooveeee raw onion." he grinned.

"You're disgusting!" she exclaimed "and you kiss Jessica with that mouth." she said as he popped another piece in. "Urgh!" she said again.

"Did you walk?" She asked her son.

"Yes, just from town." He said.

"I was wondering if you saw Mary and Alex?" She asked him.

"I saw him leave for the port on the buggy at about 5." Willis said, "They shouldn't be too far behind."

"Willis!" Gilbert smiled entering the room, greeting his brother in law. "How are you?" he smiled and pulled into his pocket bringing out his peppermints. "You know the ladies like the smell of peppermints more then onion."

"Oh well, you know." Willis replied. "This is the reason you're my ma's favourite." he said with a grin to his mother.

"I _don't_ have favourites!" Bertha said indignantly. She said then kissed Gilbert then Willis pulling back quicker from Willis quicker "Sorry, onion breath." she muttered.

"Fine!" Willis said with a grin taking a peppermint from Gilbert and popping it in his mouth. "Happy?" he asked sucking on it briefly kissing his mother again.

"Much better." Bertha smiled.

"The children are all out back." Gilbert told Willis. "Jessica has Willis Jr with her she's sitting out on the porch." Gilbert smiled. "That boy is more and more like you every time I see him."

"Oh thanks," Willis smiled. "He's a great baby."

The back door swung open and Robert came through with a smile. "Hey ma we're back." He said with Thomas close behind. "Oh Thomas!" his mother ran to him. "Oh look at you!" she said. "Are you studying too hard again? When will you learn? You need to take care of yourself."

"I'm fine ma!" He exclaimed with a smile. "Look who I found on the ferry." He said with a smile and a look behind him.

Bertha looked to the same mousy blond haired daughter. "Mary!" she exclaimed giving her a hug. "Oh thank goodness my babies are all home!"

"Hi ma." She smiled. " Alex is just taking my luggage home." She said happily. "He'll be back in ten minutes."

Bertha smiled. "Did you not know you'd be on the same ferry?" She asked both Mary and Thomas.

"Quite by accident." Mary smiled. "I booked on the earlier ferry."

"And I didn't book at all." Thomas admitted, "I wasn't sure if a particularly overzealous professor was going to spring another exam on us."

"I don't miss it at all." Gilbert smiled. "Though these are your last ones, aren't they?" Gilbert asked Thomas.

"Senior year." He said with a smile.

"Look who's home!" Walter smiled as he came through the door.

"Pa!" Willis said greeting his father with a hug.

"Ah Son!" he smiled greeting each one of his children then upon seeing Gilbert didn't stop and hugged him briefly too. "Does that mean Jane is home too?" he asked Gilbert who gave a brief nod. "We should sit down and talk later." Walter said with a nod to his wife and Gilbert.

* * *

Ten minutes later Anne came in the kitchen through the parlour door and Alex came through the back door with a smile to his wife.

"Wow!" Anne exclaimed, "didn't know this is the place to be!" she said with a kiss to her father and a hug to her brothers before she came beside Gilbert putting her arm around him.

"Oh Principle Hales says to say hello to you both." Thomas said to Anne and Gilbert.

"Principle Hales!" Anne exclaimed happily.

"Actually, I was in a meeting with him last thing." He told them. "About my application." He started slowly.

Everyone stopped and looked at Thomas simultaneously, where upon he smiled. "I've been accepted into Kings College law school in New Brunswick, I start my internship and my courses in September." He said, immediately after his mother's arms flew around him and there was sounds of congratulations his way.

The adults walked out to the garden to find the young children being entertained by their aunty's and uncle's plus Andy, who with a phone call back home had been given permission to be round the Shirley's.

"So, how is the world of engineering taking you?" Gilbert asked Robert as they were setting the table with food.

"Oh so so." He said with a smile. "The apprentice is going well, and the railroad system is a good and steady trade." He said with a smile.

"I sense a but…" Gilbert said with a knowing smile.

"I think…" he started. "I think the real future is in the skies." Robert said with a dazed smile which Gilbert knew meant the Shirley's were imagining something grand in their minds.

"Ah!" Gilbert said with a smile, "like DaVinci."

Robert smiled, "I think he had the right idea, but I'm doing my own research into it."

Gilbert smiled. "You know I think there shall be a Shirley in every corner of the earth conquering it."

"Oh but there shall!" Mary exploded. "Aren't you curious? The orchestra let me leave in the middle of a tour?" Mary said with a wider smile.

"Well of course we are!" Bertha said, "but we supposed…"

"I'm pregnant!" Mary burst.

Everyone looked in shock at her. "Really!?" Bertha said with a smile and a run to her daughter. "Oh my babies!" she exclaimed. "Oh Mary!" she said taking her in arms. Closely followed by her siblings, both brothers and sisters alike.

"I'm about three months." Mary smiled. "We supposed we didn't conceive which is why I went on the tour again this year." Mary exclaimed. "They said I'm welcome back next year, if I still want the spot." She said "but, with baby and all they didn't recommend such a gruelling schedule for a woman in my condition!" She explained happily.

"With the sweetshop being mine now, " Alex started, "My ma is still living in the house above it, she said she would take care of any babies, after weaning, so Mary could go back on tour if she liked."

Bertha smiled. "sounds like a plan!" she looked to Mary, "Do you know if that is what you want to do?" She asked her.

"No, not yet." Mary said with a smile to everyone, "we'll play it by ear." She said with a laugh.

* * *

It wasn't until very much later where Gilbert and Anne sat down in the kitchen with Bertha, Walter and Jane, her siblings pretending not to see that she was upset as they went past. Gilbert sat her in the kitchen at the table and started up the kettle. He sat opposite her and sighed. "Do you want to tell us what all this was about?" he asked her.

"I was… stupid." She admitted. She sighed. Before she started she looked at her mother her head hung low "its going to sound ridiculous." She whispered.

Gilbert sighed. "When did this start?" Gilbert asked.

Bertha looked at her daughter then to Gilbert "about a month after you and Anne moved to the Glen." She looked to Jane, "yes?"

Jane nodded and took a deep breath.

"Just before Walter-John was born?" Gilbert asked confused.

Jane whispered gently "yes." Before she started "Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or who you become it's not you?" she asked him. "Course you haven't, How can I explain?" she wondered. "Whenever I do something good, it was ' well your just like Anne,' or 'you're just like Mary', and if I was good at something or wanted to be something, If I want to be a teacher I'm just like Anne, if I want to be an artist, its 'well Willis is artistic too' and he is and he's good at it but…" she trailed. "Like you and me." She sighed. "You're my sisters husband yes, but you aren't anyone else's brother, you know, that's mine, exclusive." She bit her bottom lip. "But then everyone was different everyone had moved on, You and Anne went to the Glen, Willis and Jessica are married, Mary goes touring with the National Orchestra , and even Tom went off to Redmond, everyone was all a sudden, grownups. So, I started acting differently, trying to be and adult…" She scoffed. "At twelve… no wonder I got it all so wrong! At first it was an act just to find out what would happen, but it slowly spiralled. I did things more and more stupid just to try and…" she sighed her head went in her arm on the table "…get a reaction from my parents."

Gilbert tried to pull the smile from his face. "You wanted to be different to your brothers and sisters? You wanted to be special?" He asked her.

"Yes." She admitted from under her arm.

"Well that's completely understandable." Gilbert started. "Just before I met the 'Shirley's I was so bored with life, I was never born to be complacent I wanted something, more!" he sighed. "I wanted something special." He said. "but there is one thing Jane, you've missed completely."

She looked up. "What's that?" She asked him.

"Even if you are brainy like Anne or reflective like Mary, even if you are charming like Willis or as studious as Tom." He said with a grin on his face.

"You are the only one who brought them all together." Bertha finished. "Is…" she sighed gently going to her daughter's side "…is that what this is really about?" she asked her. "Do you really think you aren't special?"

"I… I think sometimes I just have a selfish need…" she cried. "to not be compared, just to be an individual, rather than a collective identity." She sighed. "and I think I've let the anger that surfaced to define me."

"Its not selfish to want to be an individual." Walter smiled as Bertha wiped away her daughters tears.

"No?" Jane asked.

"It might seem like sometime we group personality traits together," Bertha said thoughtfully "I never supposed it would hurt you to be compare positively to someone." She admitted. "But Jane, I don't love you for being like Anne or Mary or any other sibling." Bertha told her. "I love you for being you."

Jane looked at her mother wide eyed in complete surprise "Even after everything I've done?" she whined.

"We are your parents." Bertha said firmly. "We love you, no matter what." Bertha's arms went around Jane and she smiled up to Gilbert.

"Jane," Walter said kindly but seriously. "We have to ask you something." He started. Jane looked up to her father with expressive green eyes to which almost made Walter back down, but it had to be asked, they had to know what kind of damage control needed to be put in place. "You went to Far Point, with that boy?" he asked her.

"Yes, I did papa." She admitted quietly.

"Did you…?" Walter started before the words wouldn't come to his mouth.

"Did I have sex with him or anyone else there?" she asked her father who simply looked wide eyed at her. "No papa, I'm still a virgin, I wouldn't let him, though he offered several times." She blushed. "I wouldn't do it, I want my first time to be special not on the back of some motorcycle."

Walter physically sighed in relief, then looked to his daughter "Will he come after you Jane? Will he say things which aren't true about you?" he asked.

Jane grinned slightly to everyone's amazement. "I don't think we need to worry about that." Jane said in refined manner.

"Oh?" Bertha asked.

"Well you see… I may have, threatened, if he tried to say I was unvirtuous…. I may have said I would tell everyone he was small..." she said with her nose upturned and every adult in the room looked to her in shock, except within a few seconds Gilbert whose shock turned to a blushing amazement.

"remind me again, never to upset a Shirley." He said with a chuckle on the end to Anne, who burst a giggle before playfully slapping his arm.

"Jane." Anne almost laughed. "where did you learn about that!?"

Jane sat up straighter on her chair. "I heard the boys talking." She shrugged "apparently is matters." She said quietly, "though I'm not entirely clear on what for."

By this time every adult was in various fits of laughter.

"What?" Jane asked.

"Oh Jane!" Bertha breathed then she hugged her daughter "please, don't ever change!" she hugged into her daughter and looked up at Anne and Gilbert "Thank you." She mouthed. Gilbert and grinned, nodded, took Anne by the hand and backed silently out of the room.

"So?" Anne asked him as they came in the parlour.

"I think she'll be just fine." Gilbert said to his wife with a smile. "Hey, have you seen her with Andy?" he asked Anne with a grin on his face.

"Walt's friend?" She asked him.

"Yep." He said popping the 'p'.

Anne smiled. "Don't go playing matchmaker she's only 15."

"I'm not playing at anything!" Gilbert defended. "Cupid is doing that all on his own."

Anne smiled and shook her head. "I'm not saying you're wrong, but she's 15."

"You were 16 when you met me." Gilbert pointed out.

Anne laughed, "So I was that young once upon a time." She laughed.

Gilbert looked to Anne and smiled "You'll always be that young."


	7. Secrets of Love

Anne watched with interest the next morning as her parents busied in the morning. It was something she was well familiar with, sounds of bounding children in the house were now her own but it didn't take away from the essence of what was so clearly routine in front of her.

Jane sat quietly at the kitchen table watching the events unfold in front of her. Her father, striding around her mother with a cup of tea in hand. Anne stood to one side of the kitchen watching, careful not to interfere.

"I must be off to catch the train." Walter said with a peak on the cheek to his wife. "Are you sure you'll be okay while I'm gone?" he asked her.

"It's only three days." Bertha said with a smile. "Though I won't pretend I won't miss you." Bertha said with a flirty kiss to her husband. With a peck on his wife cheek, he picked up his bag and walked out the door.

Anne could feel what was missing there and then and needed not to look at Jane for a reaction, the lack of 'love you all' was obvious. Anne still looked to Jane whose eyes lingered hurtfully at the door as if it had done her some wrong. Jane sighed heavily, her eyes diverted to her breakfast as she seemed to unusually concentrate on the oats therein. Anne placed her mug on the counter and said "I think I left the fire on in the cottage, I'll just be a moment." She said. She hastily left the kitchen leaving by the door on the other side of the house (it being the closest to the cottage) but it wasn't there she was going. She knew fine well she had snuffed the fire in the cottage, but she rounded the house and ran down the garden and half way down the street before she called. "Papa!"

Walter turned on his foot and looked at his daughter running towards him. "Anne?" he questioned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She caught up to him took him by the arm and started walking them back towards the house. "I was going to ask you the same thing." She said to him catching her breath.

He looked to Anne confused. "I'm afraid I don't follow." He told her.

"How long has it been since you called into the house that you loved everyone?" She asked her father.

"Sorry?" He asked.

"When Jane was at our house, Gilbert went through the morning ritual of tell us all he loved us. Something I suppose he must have picked up here, at home, or maybe even to some extent in his own house." She said talking to her father. "But then, you just walked out of the house without a word of 'I love you' to anyone." She told her father.

"Oh?" He asked, he seemed genuinely astonished. "Did I?"

She nodded her head. "You see, there's a little girl or two… maybe a son…" Anne trailed thinking of her two other siblings who were still living in the house full time "Not to mention a few sons who have come back from college…" she said with a grin, "who I think might still need to hear that their papa, loves them."

Walter held his breath for a moment as they stopped for a moment in the street. "Jane?" he asked.

Anne smiled and straightened her father's cravat "Needs to hear her papa say it." Anne said with a tear in her eye and a smile to her father, "Just like I needed to hear it at 15 years old." She said quietly. "Now I know you always leave ten minutes early for everything so just take the time to make up an excuse as to why you came back and remember to revive an old habit." Anne told him in her best school teachery voice.

It did make Walter smile. "Yes Mrs Blythe." He said with a chuckle to his daughter.

"Give me a minute," Anne said to him "I don't want it to seem like I had to run after you to tell you." She said. With that, she ran up the path and round the side of the house. She caught her breath and walked into the house. She picked up her tea cup and sat at the table with Jane. "Good job I checked." She said "One day I'll burn the place to a crisp." She said to Jane. "What are your plans for today?" She asked her sister.

"Andy is coming around to help with my studies, you know yesterday we sat and he planned out a study 'timetable' for me to get me caught up so I could enter for the Queen's exams next year." She chuckled for a moment. "He's sooo organised, I've never met anyone more orderly." She laughed "certainly the most polar opposite to me!" she exclaimed as her father came back in the door.

"I forgot those forsaken books I said I needed last night!" he exclaimed as he walked through the kitchen, through into his study for a moment and indeed came out with some books in hand, Anne was silently impressed at the impromptu props It really didn't seem as though she had ran after him at all. He walked around the table to Bertha who he promptly gave a quick kiss to, "I love you." He said quietly. Anne looked to her mother, who herself looked amazed at her husband.

"I love you too sweetheart." She said before he crossed the room picked up his bag again and kissed into Jane's hair. "I love you baby Jane." He said before he left the house again. It took Jane a few seconds to recover from the daze on her face before she realised her father had left the books on the table beside her.

"Oh Papa!" Jane said outloud before she grabbed the books and went running out the house after him. Anne walked to the door and peered out to Jane catching him at the edge of the fence. She saw as her father rolled his eyes and thanked his daughter before she physically hurled herself into her father's arms. Walter like his son took a moment to recover from the shock but put his arms round his daughter and whispered something to her. Anne smiled at the encounter, she didn't even see her mother come from behind.

"He hasn't said it for so long." Bertha said with a smile. "Thank you." She whispered to Anne.

"What on earth for?" Anne asked innocently.

"You needed to check if you snuffled out the fire?" Her mother said with a hint of sceptic to her voice. "He needs reminding sometimes."

"He needs reminded to say it perhaps." Anne said wistfully. "Never to feel it though."

* * *

"Hey Mary." Jane said as her sister walked up the path. "Have you walked all the way from town?" She asked her sister.

"Yes." Mary said sitting beside her sister on the veranda swing "and don't tell me I shouldn't do it, I got enough of that from Alex this morning."

Jane smiled. "Actually I think you're glowing from the walk." She said with a smile to her sister.

Mary laughed, "Just like you to have the opposite opinion to everyone else."

"Not everyone." Jane remarked. "Gilbert said that a gentle walk can do a pregnant woman all the good in the world and make her baby healthier, that sounds good to me."

"You doing some cross stitch there little sis?" she asked her.

"Mmm" Jane said dreamily looking at her work. "Its been a while and I wanted to make something pretty." Jane admitted.

"You were always best with the needle." Mary remarked.

There was a soft silence between the sister before Jane spoke. "Mary, was Alex your first kiss?" she asked her sister.

"Oh." Mary said her face blushing shyly. "Um, yes." She said even quieter.

"Do you think, he would have minded if he wasn't your first kiss?" she asked her.

Mary looked at her seriously for a moment wondering what she was thinking. "I think, the right man recognises that no one is perfect, that we all make mistakes." Mary admitted. "Some men might even tell you how wonderful you are and try and build you up rather than knock you down." Mary paused and looked up at her sister. "But, those are part of a very special breed of mankind."

Jane sighed. "Anne said it was lovely sharing your first kiss with 'the one' she said it was a shame I didn't get to share it with him, whoever he is." Jane continued.

"I don't think it'll make your first kiss with 'the one' any less special Jane." Mary shared with her.

"How would you know?" Jane asked without malice but unbelievingly. "You were engaged!"

Mary laughed. "I never said we were engaged." Mary sighed. "We weren't even courting yet."

Jane looked at her sister shocked "Mary!" She exclaimed. "When!?"

Mary laughed. "You'll think it stupid." She said honestly. "It was at Anne and Gilbert's wedding."

"What!?" Jane practically roared so loud it was a wonder no one came out to check all was okay. Mary immediately shushed her sister as the pair went into fits of giggles. "Now you have to tell me! You were only twelve!"

Mary smiled. "Alex pulled me to one side while everyone was focused on Anne and Gilbert right after they cut the cake." Mary blushed slightly. "He told me he had stolen something from the future and it was precious and wonderful and I must not tell anyone and I would need to guess when the day came, what day it was he stole it from." Mary was smiling full beam. "I asked him what on earth he could have stolen from the future and that's when he held me round the waist took my cheek in the palm of his hand and he kissed me, quite boldly I might add."

Jane looked in amazement for a moment before she responded. "Well of course it was bold he stole it from the future where he could." Jane replied to which Mary raised her eyebrows in agreement. "That is the cutest story of a first kiss I've ever heard!" she cooed. Jane looked at her sister suspiciously "did he ever steal anymore kisses from the future?" Jane asked.

"Maybe." Mary admitted. "Once or twice."

Jane laughed "I didn't think you had it in you Mary!" Jane teased.

"Alex was a bad influence I think." Mary smiled.

"So, you didn't know then? When he kissed you, you didn't know he was the one?"

"I thought, he might be, one day, maybe possibly, it was a crush you know, but the moment his lips touched mine, that was it, I was no one elses." Mary looked at her sister who sat quietly. "Don't judge yourself to hard Jane." She said quietly. "One day, you'll know its him, because he will love you all the same, he'll be the one who never lost hope in you and gives you the faith in yourself you never thought you had."

Jane was smiling for a moment before she said "have you guessed the right day yet?" she asked Mary.

Mary smiled almost smugly "I think he keeps saying no so I stay with him longer." She told her. "He still hasn't seemed to grasp the fact that I love him."

Jane smiled "ah keep them guessing! Nice going Alex!" she teased.

Mary shrugged then burst into laughter. Jane finally looked at her sister and kissed her on her cheek quickly before she silently went back to her cross stitch pattern.


	8. When one door opens

Nine months later Jane was working though the material for Queens. She put her head momentarily in frustration on the table.

"This is impossible!" Jane said, her head hurting slightly.

"Not impossible." Andy told her straight, "Just highly improbable." He said with a smile. His head going back into his book. "So how's the Shirley household holding up without your mama?" he asked her.

"Oh we're fine, both Bertha and I can cook up any number of things and Mamma knew that before she headed up to the Glen."

"How is Anne?" he asked her.

"Oh you know, just as well as any other full term women." She smiled. "I can't believe there is going to be another little Blythe child!" She said happily.

"And Mary?" He asked.

"Alex is ecstatic!" she said to him. "Its so sweet, did you know they called the babe Shirley Mary Payton."

He chuckled. "But why?" he asked.

"When they first met, Mary was so nervous around him when he asked for her name she said it was Shirley and then said Mary, he still sometimes calls her 'Shirley Mary Shirley.' So when the baby came…" Jane trailed.

He smiled. "That's really sweet." He admitted.

"I think mamma is looking forward to spending some time with Joy, Walter-John and Gil Jr." She said dreamily. "I can't imagine myself a grandma." She said wistfully.

"You ought not, you're only sixteen!" he exclaimed.

"Mamma had met papa by now and was married at eighteen and she had Anne at nineteen!" she looked at him "and you know that isn't that much older then we are! Anne had met Gilbert by the time she was my age!" she paused "Andy!" she exclaimed. "I could know my future husband right now!"

Andy chuckled.

"And what if I walk past him every day and not even see him." She sighed dreamily not looking at her study partner but inside her own dream world.

He looked at her fondly and sighed. "Well one day you'll look up and see him there." He said quietly taking a heavy sigh from his heart and then returned his attention to his book.

She snapped herself out of her trance and looked at him seriously for a while. "Andy?" She asked him.

"hrmm." He said not looking up from his book.

"What are you studying so intently? I know you don't plan on coming to Queens, and you can't anyway for another year you need to be eighteen to enter." she said. "What is it you are doing?" she asked.

He looked up and around, although he knew they were alone in the kitchen he wanted to make sure no one heard. "I'm reading up on university screening, and what tests I would need to pass to get there." He told her.

She looked at him in amazement. "You're going to university?" she asked him. "So soon? people normally…" she trailed.

"My parents see little point in training for a vocation I would never use." He said frankly. "I know people train in teaching so they can either progress in that vocation like Walt wants to, or else save up to do something else, like your Gilbert planned on doing all those years ago." He said. "But to my parents it would just be something holding me back." He sighed. "And of course… they are paying." He said with a smirk.

"Andy!" She said in utter amazement. She said totally impressed. "So which universities?" She asked him.

"Well, my grandfather and my father both went to Yale…."

"Yale, but that's in Connecticut!" she said in shock. "And an expensive school!"

He shrugged. "They could afford to." He said honestly.

Jane looked in amazement, "I don't think Charlottetown would be the same without you." She said quietly.

He looked at her then at the book again not sure of what to say. "I'm applying there and Columbia and Harvard."

"Wow!" Jane said.

"Yeah." He agreed. "But they have a ton of pre-enrolment tests you have to pass in order to even be accepted into them." He sighed. "Not just in sciences, but in Latin and Greek, philosophy." He sighed again.

"What?" She asked him. "What is it you can tell me."

"I've been trained on it my whole life." He said with a swallow. "I'm…" he looked down into his lap. "Do you ever feel as though your destiny is different to the one everyone else has planned out for you?" he asked her.

She smiled. "Oh yes!" she exclaimed. "Absolutely." She agreed. "Come on Andy, you remember Trev don't you?" she said with a grin to him.

He laughed briefly before he stopped and went serious again. "I… I only wish I could stay here a little longer and follow my own path… well be in the place I want to be."

She looked at him thoughtfully before she smiled softly. "Maybe on the path others have mapped for you, you'll find your own." She whispered.

He looked at her and softened. "Thanks Jane." He said in a low tone.

They stopped in silence for a few seconds before Jane realised how long it had been quiet for them, with them just looking at each other. She blushed slightly before she said "well you put my problems into perspective."

He grinned slightly "Glad to be of service." He said to her which made her laugh.

"I'll help!" She exclaimed without thinking. He looked to her in amazement. "Yes! I'm good at those subjects too!" she told him. "You just have to promise to stay in touch." She said to him.

He smiled "Alright," he agreed. "You've got yourself a deal." They smiled at each other for a few seconds before he took a breath "Come on, we best get on with it." He told her. "Otherwise we'll never have a fate, planned or otherwise."

* * *

Three months later Walt came running through the door. "Jane!" He called. "Jane where are you?" he called.

"Walt?" Bertha said confused looking at her son as he entered the parlour. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's the Queen's results!" He said excitingly. "And its what's extremely right with them!" he smiled taking off his scarf and popping the buttons open.

Before Bertha had the chance to say anything Jane came into the room. "You have the results, don't you?" she said to Walt.

Bertha smiled. There was no way Jane could know it for sure, other then the freakishly close bond she had with Walter. As they were little they had tried to fight against it. Jane was often bossy with Walter and took the limelight. Eventually Walter took a step next to her and let her take the lead and that was where, everyone else, really started to see the bond.

He nodded at his sister. "First place!" he said waving the paper in front of her.

"No!" She called in disbelief as her brother wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up swinging her around. As he dumped the paper next to his mother, who picked it up and looked at it smiling.

"Jane…" She started.

Jane looked to her mother held her breath for a second as her feet touched the ground "Go on…" She started. "Say it." She whispered. "Just like Anne."

Bertha looked at her and smiled. "Actually, I was going to say…" She said with a wry smile. "No one came close to your mark." She said with a smile. "No one will keep up with you." Jane came and sat next to her mother. "And I'm proud of you." She whispered.

Jane threw herself into her mother's arms. "Oh Mama, do you mean it? Do you really?" she asked.

"Of course, I do, baby Jane." She told her. "And for the record, Anne got 92%, you did better than Anne."

Jane looked up at her mother and smirked a little. "I did, didn't I?" she said her chest puffing up in pride. She jumped up. "Oh Walt, come with me so we can call on Andy. He studied for hours with me! I want to thank him too!"

With that there was a knock at the back door they all went through to the kitchen, where it seemed as though Andy was faithfully standing by the back door.

"Andy!" Jane squealed, throwing herself in his arms holding the paper. "I did it! I did it! First place!" she exclaimed.

He smiled sweetly though Jane could see not fully. "I knew you could do it." He said softly.

"How about we do something to celebrate?" Bertha said with a smile to her daughter. "Your papa will want to do something, you're invited too Andy, you certainly deserve it, all the work you helped Jane with."

"Thank you Mrs Shirley, I'd be honoured." He said. "Oh Walt, that book I had on back order came into the bookstore this morning, I was heading down there, want to come with me to get it?" he asked.

"Excellent!" Walt exclaimed. "Yes, absolutely. I heard the new Chekhov is out." He said. "I'll just go and get my savings from upstairs." He said as he ran out the room.

Jane walked with Andy out onto the veranda and looked at him seriously for a moment. "Andy?" she asked him.  
"Um?" he started.

"Forgive me, but, you don't quite seem yourself." She said to him.

"No?" he said, not really questioning it but the undoubtful change in him was obvious to her. "No… I…" he trailed and sat on the swing chair. He took a deep breath as Jane sat on the chair opposite him. "I got into Yale." He said quietly.

Jane looked up to him and smiled. "Well Andy that's wonderful news!" She exclaimed. "Isn't it?" she questioned him.

"Is it?" he asked. "I'm 16 and going off to university like I know something?" he asked her. "Straight into their science schools and it's not the work I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?" Jane asked him.

He sighed. "I don't think I want to be a scientist." He admitted. "But… I don't know what I want to be either." He sighed. "I can't go to one of the top universities in the world to not know what I want from it, for my parents to pay a fortune in fees for it… I just…" he stood up and walked towards the railing holding onto it before turning and looking at Jane. "They talk about it opening doors for people, and it does, but truthfully…" he sighed. "I see all the other doors, but they're all securely shut, except the one door I don't want to go through." He sighed. "… and now on top of it all, I sound selfish and ungrateful." He said.

Jane sat speechless for a while, before she carefully spoke. "Maybe the door opened will take you some place different to where you are thinking, maybe in it, you'll find that's exactly where you want to be."

He looked to her for a moment before he looked down "Is that where you want me to be Jane?" he asked her.

She looked at him. "Andy!" She exclaimed. "You have been Walt's best friend since we came to the island." She told him. "Most of the time by extension it meant you were pretty close to me too, of course…" she trailed as she felt tears gathering round her eyes. "Of course, I don't want you gone. You might be branded Walt's best friend but you are mine…." She trailed as the words came out, she knew she meant them but she couldn't believe she was saying it. "…you are mine too." She sighed, "I'm not going to tell you what to do Andy only you can decide that." She admitted. She looked down into her lap "but this is an opportunity, if you find it doesn't suit you, change your major once you are there, or change universities or even stop going if that is what you really want." She looked up at him, "But you know you can't throw away this opportunity while you are trying to make up your mind." She said with a smile. "It might never happen!" she exclaimed.

He looked to her and laughed then sat down. "I am indecisive, aren't I?"

Jane hummed before she smiled slightly "Just a tad." She said with a laugh. "Oh Andy!" She exclaimed she stood up and put her arms around him. "I'm going to miss you." She whispered.

"Yeah." He whispered back. "You too."


	9. Since you've been gone

Good evening folks,

I'm a tad early this week because my best friend has come to visit!

Just a shout out because I don't often do them!

Love you all thank you for all your support.

I love you all love Jane. I love Jane! I'm glad the affection is transfering to you all!

love

Carrots

* * *

Dear Jane,

Despite my training in other disciplines its seems the form of letter writing really escaped my grasps. You did however ask me to write, so social convention and good breeding dictates that I must, therefore I am.

Yale is, very large! There are many people all very intelligent, all very rich, all very… the same. There's a boy, whose great great grand father came here, makes my family look positively young alumni.

So, the curriculum is wide Jane, on top of my science course it is expected that you join a sports team and a social club of some type or another. The former alas, I had a choice in, as I know my father and grandfather both were football men, and although the glory of the game is revered here in the university and it is certainly tempting on that front… I don't like the limelight of it, so I thought the rowing team would be a good activity. Alas, when I informed my father he seemed to approve of the choice, he said I would have been bruised apart in football and that (and I quote) 'rowing is a gentlemen's game' well I had a Jane moment and immediately wished I signed up to football, but once I came down again I realised how right he was, and you know, I really like the guys at the rowing team, if I get good enough I'll be able to go on the team, they even compete against other schools.

The latter however it seems I had no choice in. We drove down you know, in the car all the way to Yale and everything but a small overnight bag was on the train and ferry coming over. I thought like anyone else, my father would find me some where to stay, a small lodgings perhaps… little did I know….

"Pap, where are we?" I asked as we came to a stop outside a large house with greek writing on it.

"This is where you'll stay." He told me.

"I don't understand?" I questioned.

This is where Jane, they had me stumped. My father was one of the original member of… and get this… A Fraternity, and as such, all his descendence (i.e me) has automatic admittance into the society (to avoid the humiliating initiation process!) Jane I am horrified! I can't be part of a fraternity! I mean look at me! I'm too tall for my skinny frame, I wear glasses… I'm a classical outsider, and I don't care not to admit it! And what was my father thinking setting up a fraternity! A fraternity… I am part of a fraternity…! I can't stop saying it because it makes no sense to me! I will never fit in with these guys!

As for school, the work is as we expected Jane. Hard, uphill work! Which you know I don't mind but it's a very different type of learning, even in the sciences. We have these set times where we need to be in lectures but the most part we are off writing and researching. I see some guys and they are completely nonchalant about studying but they will fall behind faster than they can imagine.

I've only gone and made it all worse too, I went and enrolled myself as part of the team at the school newspaper, the Yale Daily news. Basically just because it is the one part of Yale my father didn't take part in, maybe I could make my own name there?

(…continued letter about school)

So how are you finding Queens Jane? Is Walt mad at you for getting there first?

Your faithful friend

Andy.

* * *

Dear Andy,

Your letter writing is impeccable young man and don't go doing yourself down on it! If you can pick up a skill that quick, it's a wonder you haven't graduated from that university yet with first class honours!

As for me and queens we seem to be getting along just fine. I did tell you I elected to do my teachers certificate in one year and not two? Like Anne and Gilbert did. I think it shall suit me Andy because if I slow down again, I might just stop and you know how easily I bore. Its strange, you would think that being the principles daughter he would be forever in my face. But he really isn't. He's my papa and he's not there. Not that I mind anymore, you know, I think it would have bothered me once upon a time but not now.

Andrew James Watson a member of a fraternity! I'm not sure whose face is more amazed right now, mine or yours! How are you coping young man?

As for your courses, I'll never be in any doubt, you will keep up with them, won't you young man?!

I can't believe how many things you have filled your day with, you have your classes, you have your rowing team and you have the newspaper! Andy, that's a lot of work, promise me you aren't over doing it?

Family life is, better. Gilbert and Anne are enjoying the new two family members! Little Nan and Di are so sweet, they brought them down to Charlottetown last week, although they are past the most trying time of new borns and are both healthy and beautiful 3 month olds. Baby Nan is nothing like our Anne and more like Gilbert, bouncing curly brown hair and hazel eyes but baby Di is just like Anne, with flaming red hair and big grey eyes. You can tell Di is Gilbert's favourite, he holds her so much and rushes to her side when she cries. I think its because she is like Anne as in his wife… You know something? If I ever decide to have babies I am not naming them after people, all this Gilbert Jr. Walter Jr, Walt, Walt John… its giving me a headache. Maybe middle names but first names it completely out of the question. Maybe I'll travel and give my children all exotic names from foreign countries!

I look around me at school Andy, something strikes me and its something Anne hinted upon when I went to stay last year in my 'reformation' (as everyone likes to tell me!)

First, I look around and I see, serious young men, like Walter like you and Gilbert around me and they can have, a future in teaching or they will sometimes go onto universities or other courses like my pap did to get their university degrees and its highly commendable. I would never down their ambitions in life and it's wonderful to see. I look around the girls, there aren't many of us to start with maybe five of us who is starting queens this year and I'm the only girl on the advanced courses. But, then I'm sure two of those girls are only here to look for a husband because all they do is talk about 'boys' and 'professors' and it shocks me! The balance between males and females are vast here and then the ones taking it seriously at all is even more telling!

I do have an exciting prospect though. The Avery Scholarship is back at Queen's this year and I have every intention of competing for it! I think I would make a fine teacher, don't get me wrong, but I think I would like to go to university and complete a degree and I think.

Andy, can I tell you a secret? When I was staying with Gilbert and Anne, Anne said something to me at the time and she said we as girls in our home, had unusual freedoms and I've come to wonder, Andy, all women, all men, everyone deserves freedom, don't you think? I want to be able to write about it, and this is where the Avery scholarship comes in, I think I want to complete a degree in journalism and politics. Gain my BA. What do you think? Is it completely insane? Well of course its insane! Its me, but I think that is where I'm going.

So come on give me your best shot Watson tell me I'm impossible.

Love

Janey.

* * *

Janey,

You are never impossible, just highly improbable.

…


	10. Rally Round

Hello folks

I'm early again this week, no excuses I'm just early... and have my two babies on Easter holidays so day time uploading maybe problematic!

Thanks again for following and commenting... I am trying my best not to make this too long but she's a character alright! Making it difficult to let go!

Love

Carrots

* * *

"Come on Walt, plllleeeaaasssee!" Jane pouted to him. " The Canadian Women's Suffrage Association and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union are holding a rally for women's suffragettes in town this Saturday and I want to go and see them so I can write about it in the the Queens paper. Don't you believe in equality for women?" she challenged him.

"Don't try and get me like that." Walt scoffed. "You know I do, I can't be a Shirley and not believe in it." He sighed. "But I can also read and rally's like this in Europe and America are getting violent."

"When a group of people are repressed by the autocratic domineering section of society, it is our duty as upstanding members of society to…" she started.

"Oh alright alright!" he exclaimed.

"Oh thank you Walt!" she jumped across bed and hugged him.

"Yeah yeah!" he said secretly enjoying the embrace from his sister.

"Oh and one more thing" she said pulling back and looked at him. "You can't tell mamma and papa." She told him.

"Oh Jane!" He protested. "You can't keep it a secret! You said you would write about it in the school paper, the school he runs."

"But that would be after the event. Please Walt you know papa would never let me go…"

"And maybe there's a reason for that."

"Please Walt please, it might be my only chance to hear Dr. Emily Howard Stowe talk. They don't come to the island all that often, please, I want the chance of interviewing her, and anyway its being held by with The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Christian! Temperance! How dangerous can it be?!" she exclaimed.

Walter took a heavy sigh bowed his head then looked at his sister again. "Jane Shirley, you drive a hard bargain."

"You know…" she burst "they are going to get a change in the Electoral Act, which makes the Dominion and provincial voters' lists coincide it makes women's suffrage a provincial issue..."

* * *

It was that Saturday Jane and Walter 'went for a walk', leaving the park at the other side of the grove of trees and heading straight into Charlottetown.

"Stay with me." Walter warned Jane as the approached the crowd.

"Right." Jane agreed.

Walter was surprised with the amount of shoving and shouting over the top of the women speaking.

Banners held by men and women alike claiming feminism and anti feminism

'A women's place in in her home'

'women's cause is mans they rise and fall together.'

'Votes for women'

'equality?!'

"Walt, Walt!" Jane exclaimed 'that's her! That's Dr. Emily Howard Stowe." Jane sighed and shouted to Walt (because the noise was so loud that even standing next to her he couldn't hear her. "Oh but I can't hear her!" Jane exclaimed. "Come on lets get closer!" Jane said pulling him into the crowd.

"Jane I'm not sure this is such a grand idea!" He exclaimed to his sister.

"Don't lose face now Walter." Jane shouted as they went through the crowds. Jane pulled out a pencil and paper pad and started scribbling things down.

"Where did you hide those!" He exclaimed as she winked and started writing more. Even from the closer stand point the crowd was jerking their voices rang over the top of the women speaking though Walter did try to listen it was only a few minutes later when he turned to say something to Jane to find she was no longer beside him, panicked he looked around in the crowd, maybe she had got lost in it to no effect. Where upon he looked to the door of the town hall close by and watched her slip by unseen by two men standing guard over the door. Walter rolled his eyes and pushed his way back through the crowds. He didn't have Jane's stealth like qualities he would need to use wit and quick judgement, or maybe a cheat he had learned one summers day when they had been small. The town hall had a smaller fire door which was always due to be fixed but last time he had checked about six years ago the door could still be opened from the outside in. He went to the fire door and jigged the handle as he did as a boy and it fell faithfully open. Walter chuckled and shook his head, he should have known!

Walter walked through the corridors for a good five minutes looking for Jane finally finding her in an end corridor.

"Jane." He whispered. "What the heck are you doing in here?"

"I think this is where they are bringing her back to!" she whispered excitedly.

"Jane, are you insane?!" Walter exclaimed. "Come on, I don't care about your school newspaper article, I think there might be a riot out there let's just go home." He said.

"I will not, I want to talk to her!" Jane exclaimed.

"You're being impossible again." He told her.

"Andy says I'm not impossible just highly improbable."

"He got that right!" Walter exclaimed.

"Hey! How did you two get in here. Scram!" the man demanded of them as he found them talking in the corridor.

"Come on Jane." Walter said holding out his hand to his sister.

"No, I shalt." She said stubbornly. "I want to meet Emily!"

"I said get out of here!" The man bellowed.

"I see no reason for that." A voice came from behind Jane and Walter. They turned and saw a women said from behind them. Jane looked to her and swallowed slightly. "If you would like to meet my mother, why don't you just come in here, she'll be finished at the rally any moment." She said with a smile to them both.

Jane finally found her voice "That makes you Augusta Stowe?" Jane asked her quite amazed.

"Stowe-Gullen actually." She said with a smile. "Lets not forget my husband in all this." She teased.

Jane broke into a smile and put her right hand out to shake hers "I'm Jane Shirley, this is my Brother Walter, You and your mother are just so inspirational!" Jane exclaimed.

Augusta smiled. "I think I can handle these two." She said to the man who finally subsided and walked away. "Please come in." she told the two. "Its not a big posh hotel but it's certainly been enough for our needs this afternoon."

Walter and Jane went into the side room, not a huge room, but normally would be used for meetings, Jane and Walter sat down with Augusta.

"Why are you not out at the rally with your mother? Is it true you were the first women in Canada to become a doctor in Canada? Is it true your mother had to go abroad to study medicine and became a doctor in the US rather than here in Canada? Are you really on the board of trustees of education? Is it true you've founded the Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association with your mother?"

"Jane!" Walter exclaimed quietly. "Slow down!"

Augusta laughed. "That's a great deal many questions there, Miss Shirley? Was it?"

"Yes, Shirley." Jane agreed. "Oh but please just call me Jane." She said. "I'm at Queen's academy studying to become a teacher." She proclaimed. "There's a scholarship too which can get to through university which I fully intend on getting. And there's the school newspaper, I wanted to interview your mother… and you of course so I could write about the Suffragette movement in my school newspaper."

"I feel like I know you already Jane." She said with a smile. "I wonder something, were you brought up in a feminist household?" She asked them.

"Oh my ma and pa are equals in everything." Walter interjected.

"They really are wonderful parents." Jane admitted. "I, of all people know that."

"Then maybe I can tell you a little about mine." Augusta said.

* * *

Jane and Walter came back through the door to find their father and mother sitting quietly at the table.

"Ma, Pa?" Jane asked innocently. "Whatever is the matter?" She asked them.

"Angela Thomas was at the rally this afternoon." Bertha started. "She claimed to have seen two sixteen-year-old children there."

"Oh?" Jane said with Walt's head bowed low. He was avoiding eye contact with his parents, one look in his eyes, they would know he was lying.

"She claims she lost sight of them just a few minutes before a riot started, the police had to be called in. She was worried about them." Bertha continued.

"Um." Jane mummured.

"Thing is, she claims the two sixteen year olds looked an awful lot like you two." Bertha finished.

"Well, the thing is…" Jane started.

"What were you thinking?!" Walter started standing as he went. "Answer me straight was it, or was it not you two?"

There was silence between the two before Walt spoke first. "Yes pap it was us." He admitted.

"Please don't blame Walt." Jane started "it was all my idea!" she exclaimed.

"Walter," Walter started talking to his son. "Why?"

Walt spoke gently and quietly. "To protect Jane." He said simply.

Walter sighed. "Did you know these rally's often turn violent quickly?" he asked his son.

"Yes!" Walt said. "Its why I had to protect her." He sighed. "we weren't in the scuffle, honest, we went and talked to Emily and Augusta Stowe."

With that the two parents stopped. "You got to talk to Doctor Emily Stowe?" Bertha asked.

"Interviewed actually." Jane admitted. "We snuck in, and Augusta was there and we talked to her first and she said I could interview her for the school newspaper…" She said excitingly before she saw the warning look in her father's eye.

There was a pause before Walter spoke. "Jane, Walter what you did today was dangerous." He sighed. "You could have been hurt, you could have been caught in the cross fire, you could have been arrested!" he sighed. "You are both not to leave this house for two weeks other than attending school, no socials no dances, and that includes the recital next week Janey."

"Yes papa." She said humbly.

"It will start from Tuesday morning." Walter said.

"Tuesday?" Jane asked both her own and Walt's head snapping up.

"Well I have to give you time to hand in that piece to the school paper." He said with a shrug. "that would just have been a waste." He told them.

Jane smiled before she spoke, "Pap, this afternoon was all my idea, Walt only came to protect me, pap, please can you make my punishment four weeks, its wasn't his fault."

"Your brother still went without our consent, even if his intentions were honourable." Walter sighed as he looked at his daughter "Three weeks to one." He conceded.

"Yes, papa." Jane said with a hand hold to her brother. "Thank you, papa." She said before she lead Walt out of the room with her.

Bertha grinned at her husband, "You negotiated their punishment!" she exclaimed. "Walter!" she reprimanded.

Walter shrugged. "Oh Bertha, she was willing to take the blame and we both know Walter would never have gone along if it weren't for his seeming duty to protect his sister."

Bertha stood and smiled wrapping her arms around her husband "I suppose this is what we get, for raising sons and daughters with such high ideals." She laughed.

"Ummm." He said with a twist in his lips, "I can't remember Anne or Willis getting into scrapes like this."

"No, but with Anne you scared the sweet boy who adored your daughter." Bertha smiled. "What's funny is, you really should have done that with Jane."

"Well…" Walter said, "You learn which fights to have by the time you've gone through so many!" he said with a laugh. "And Jane did decide to drop that boy all on her own." He kissed Bertha for a moment before he shook his head. "I can't wait to read that piece for the newspaper now!"

* * *

 _… my editor read your piece over my shoulder, he first told me I shouldn't be reading a competitive paper in the newsroom but then I showed him it was from Queens and he read your piece Jane. He seemed impressed, he thought it could be published in a national paper, then made some quip about it being a shame it was Canadian and not American and as a consequence couldn't be._

 _I couldn't be prouder if it was published in a national paper. Janey, that was extraordinary! I'm quite envious you got to meet two such extraordinary women. Living legends in a way. It would be a wonder if a Canadian paper didn't pick it up._

 _School is hard work, but with all the extra-curricular activities I'm doing socialisation is so much easier than I thought it would be. I seem to have no time to myself._

 _As for the fraternity, its strange, I mean could it be possible I could be fitting in? I've never been at ease in large groups of people, but it feels as though, maybe you were right, maybe by being pushed through a door I'm finding what I need here._

 _Except the Island. I miss home, am I a mamma's boy for missing my mother? For missing home and the Shirley's? My body may be in Connecticut but my soul is in Charlottetown!_

 _Though it seems I'm not coming back for winter break, or summer break either, we're going on a skiing trip for winter and pa already has laid in plans for a trip round Europe for the summer._

 _I'm glad you are still intending on going for that Avery scholarship, although it is a shame its for Redmond and not Yale. I could really do with your company Janey._

 _I should be telling you so much more but compare notes with Walt, they are long letters to you both if I had written it all out twice I wouldn't have much time left to study!_

 _Your faithful friend_

 _Andy._


	11. Off into the world

Thanks for all those who have commented on my 'More Green Gables Fables' update last night. Honestly I knew the time was coming up and I kept on hoping they would do something... Someone said it was unlikely now Mandy was married. Its true, there are a number of factors which bring out the feminist in me and says 'wait a minute just because she's married'... but then there's a bigger part which knows not just Mandy but the rest of the team have moved on, they left it in a perfectly logical place and are unlikely to revist it, until maybe Gilbert is due to go to medical school and thats not for another 2 and a bit years and even then they would be elongating... medical school nowadays is nearly twice as long as medical school was back in Anne and Gilbert's day (Especially if Gilbert is wanting to be a top surgeon).. Yes they could do it in another condensed timeline... maybe something for us fanfictioners to think about for the near future. But I think they left it in a lovely place.

* * *

"I never knew there was so much to take with you to college, I may just settle here in Kingsport, it'll be easier then carting this and more back to the island!" Jane said in mock as she and Walter finally finished moving her cases from the ferry station to her Dormitory , Jane finally sitting on the bed.

"Not unless I'm coming with you." Walter said with a smile sitting on the bed beside her. The two were silent for a moment and one of the hands slid into the others. "You scared?" he asked her.

There was a silence between them for a moment before Jane answered "I've never let it stop me before."

He looked at her and said again "You scared?"

She sighed. "Yeah." She said quietly. "I'm scared Walt."

"Don't be." He asked of her quietly. "You're the bravest person I know."

Jane looked up and next to her "Bravery isn't the absence of fear Walt." She said to him.

"Its just the wisdom to know which battles to choose and fighting them full throttle." He finished for her before there was a brief silence, "Like you always do." He whispered.

Jane smiled. "Thanks Walt." She whispered to him. "I'm glad you and Mama came to help." She said quietly.

He swallowed and looked around him "I don't want to leave you here, I must tell you Jane I'm a little bit envious." He sighed.

She smiled "Be glad papa entered you for the exams this last year, ahead of time for boys, you know Gilbert had to wait until he was eighteen!"

"I know, but aren't you glad he did, he and Anne might never have met." She smiled. "I wonder what it'll bring you." She said with a wink at him.

"Jane Shirley!" He exclaimed.

"And don't pretend I haven't noticed you, noticing Clara Scott." Jane laughed with a bite to her bottom lip.

"Clara Scott, doesn't even know I exist." He said quietly. "So it doesn't matter if I notice her or not." He said quietly.

"She's going to Queen's this year too right?" she asked him with a grin.

"Um, yeah." He blushed quietly.

"Sooo," she said with a nudge to him, "Maybe this year you could get her to notice you." He said to him.

He grinned and shook his head. "I don't know Jane."

She looked at him. "I just don't want you to be lonely. First Andy leaves for Yale and now me…." She trailed.

"You're closer." Walter shrugged. "Thank the Lord above." He smiled at her. "I really don't know what I'll do without you." He said quietly.

Jane didn't say anything at first but looked at her brother for a few seconds. "Be brave."

With that Bertha entered the room. "I feel as though I've forgotten to tell you something." She told Jane. "Now, I know this place does some kind of catering, but I will send you a care package every week with your favourite food in them and I know you told me not to but one of the extra cases I brought with us is full of food."

Jane smiled. "Thank you." She said quietly.

"You have your thermals? I know it's not cold now but come a month from now…" she started.

"I have thermals." Jane replied.

"And extra shawls for the night time?" Bertha asked her.

"Yes mother." She said with a hint of sarcasm to her voice.

"And what about your winter boots, oh Jane you barely use them when you are home…."

"Ma." She interrupted standing from the edge of the bed she walked over to her mother. "You've given me all I need." She said with a smile and a hug to her mother.

"Oh Janey!" Bertha breathed. "I'm going to miss you." She whispered.

"Me?" Jane said with a smile to her mother. "Rebellious, intense insane me?" she asked.

"You." Bertha said stroking into her hair. "Sweet, caring wonderful you." She took a sigh. "I'll see you Christmas Break."

* * *

"Did I just hear right?" a girl approached Jane, "You're duel majoring in your degree?"

"Oh, yes, that's right." Jane confirmed. "Politics and Journalism."

"Wow and I thought a degree would be hard enough!" The girl exclaimed. "Oh my name is Emma." She said holding her hand out to Jane.

Jane smiled at the girl who would be around her age. "Jane." She replied.

"I'm an English major, so maybe we'll have some classes together." She said enthusiastically.

"Yes maybe." Jane replied.

"Are you in dorms or are you in a boarding house?" She asked Jane.

"Dorms." Jane said feeling like she could barely get a word in edge-ways.

"Oh me too." She said "Aren't the idea of a boarding house now positively archaic? I mean it makes so much more sense for us all to be together instead of scattered here there and everywhere, we don't need adult supervision all the time!" she sprouted.

"I'm sorry, but you can't be much older than I am." She said looking at the girl.

"I turned seventeen September first." She said.

"Oh, I just turned seventeen in June." She said with a swallow. "I wish I had my mother here, sometimes I think I need an adults company." She admitted.

"Well how about I be your adult?" she said linking arms with Jane and starting them walking.

"Even though you are younger then me?" Jane said with a smile.

"Oh Pish posh!" Emma exclaimed. "Age is just a number! So which dorm are you in?" she asked her.

"Oh, I'm in Keats House." She told her.

"Oh me too!" Emma exclaimed. "Oh another Keaton!" she said. "Oh I'm glad, which floor?"

"Oh first floor room 107." She said.

"I'm only in 120, what fates we should meet like this, and I'm awfully glad."

Jane smiled, despite her inability to shut up, Jane really liked this girl.

Very much.

* * *

"Gilbert and Anne used to always go along to these socials." Jane laughed with Emma, them both dressed up in pretty dresses their hairs pinned up, they were on their way out for the freshers formal. "Tom and Robert not so much." She continued, "They were not social butterflies in the same way as us."

"You have such a big family!" Emma smiled. "There's only me and my brother." She sighed. "And its nice you talk about your in laws with so much affection, some people don't get along."

"Well, I think it's a Shirley trait." She told Emma.

"What was it like meeting them all?" she asked her. "I mean did you get along with everyone?"

"Um…" she thought for a moment "Jessica is so sweet I doubt anyone couldn't get along with her and Alex gave a seven-year-old candy so…" she trailed.

Emma laughed, "And your sister's husband, was it Gilbert?" she asked.

"Oh." She said. "I… I can't remember."

"Can't remember?!" Emma exclaimed.

"No." Jane said with a smile. "I was three when he first showed up, I can't remember a world without him." She sighed. "I have a feeling I remember meeting him, but its only vague and sort of mixed in with a whole other lot of things I know happened later." Jane smiled, "So no, I don't think I remember meeting him, but I know I'm glad I did."

Emma smiled at her friend "You are one of the sweetest girls I've ever met Jane Shirley."

Jane heard a ever increasing sound of boys behind them where she took a small glance. "Emma, I think we're attracting attention." Jane whispered.

Emma physically turned and looked at the boy "Yes?" she asked them.

The leader seemed to stop them all, "we're just wondering why two beautiful girls as yourself are going to the mixer, unaccompanied?" he asked boldly.

Emma smiled and Jane looked on cautiously. "Well boys like you could change that." She said with a smile.

"Emma!" Jane exclaimed quietly to her.

"Oh relax Jane." She whispered. "Look at them. Who knows what they might do?" she said with a wink.

"That what worries me." Jane admitted knowing fine well what a boy might do.

The boys came over, Emma taking one on each arm Jane rolled her eyes as the third smiled awkwardly at her. "Its alright," he said quietly. "You don't have to." He said to her genuinely.

Jane sighed looking at the boy. He seemed no less good looking then the other two. "What's your name?" She asked him.

"William." he said putting his hand out for her to shake. "And I apologise for the boldness of my friends."

Jane laughed. "Oh I know bold boys, I tend to stay away from them now adays."

"oh? Know know?" he asked.

"No. Not know know, just… know." She said. "Its kind of complicated." She said.

He nodded. "I see." He said to her. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

Jane smiled put her hands in front of her for a moment and nodded. "Alright." She agreed. "I'm Jane Shirley." She said taking his arm. "Pleased to meet you William."


	12. Setting the world on fire

Just a little disclaimer on this... I've used a racist term. Now just to establish I have never used this word in my day to day language and I never would... However... They would in that day. I used it in the expression they would use it, it is not there to offend and I'm sorry of i have...

* * *

"I think your information is outdated." Jane said her looking into the eyes of her opponent in the classroom "Feminism is an up to date issue."

"You can't say it is and throw it into the political spotlight there's more important things sweetheart."

"Do you mean to sound as misogynist as you're coming across?" she demanded. "by discounting women you're disregarding about half of the population, would you be quite so dismissive if it was half the population starving?"

"You can't take an extreme like that and treat it as the norm, it obscures the real issues. A women ought to trust her husband to make the right decision for her, to make that choice for her."

"I think sir, you've found part of the problem, a woman ought to be able to trust her husband to make the vote, yes, absolutely, but not all women can, or should, a man and a women will never agree 100% on every issue and to expect it is ridiculous." Jane argued "and what about the women who don't have husbands? Are they so insignificant?"

"hey, the little miss can do as she likes…"

"But she can't, that's the issue!"Jane exclaimed. "By repressing any section in society you are misrepresenting the whole population."

"the way your talking you'd have the negro's have the vote." He laughed.

"I don't see why they shouldn't the vote effects them too."

"are you kidding me?"

"I most certainly am not."

"I like both of your thinking." The lecture interrupted "but maybe we can leave this for another day. It's the end of class I'm afraid."

Emma looked to her friend as they packed away their books. "Jane could you dress down that boy anymore?" She exclaimed. "Not that I object but Its only the second week of lessons, I would have thought you'd leave it a bit longer before you scare away the boys."

"If a man is scared by an opinion, I wouldn't care for him anyway." Jane said her nose going in the air.

"Anyway I think that's what he was looking for." William commented who had been sitting across from the girls.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked him.

"That's Perry Scott." He said to them.

"Is that name meant to mean something?" Jane asked him.

"You're kidding right?" William asked.

"You mean Scott as in timbre owner?" Emma asked.

"One and the same." William confirmed.

"Care to enlighten me?" Jane asked.

"His father owns about quarter of the timber industry in the whole of Canada." William told her. "The toffy nosed man alive."

Jane shrugged. "It makes no difference if he's uneducated." Jane remarked. "Our friend Andy's parents are quite rich and he doesn't behave like that." Her nose went a little higher "He's a perfect gentlemen and a feminist."

"Hey Jane." She heard behind her. She turned to see the teacher's assistant coming towards her. "I'm Andrea." She introduced herself giving her a handshake.

"Yes I know, you sit in our lectures." She said with a smile.

"I'm a fourth year here my degree major is education, hence why I'm sitting in." she smiled. "But I'm also the editor of the university paper." She said with a smile. "and I came across this." She said pulling out a paper she recognised as the newspaper from the Queen's gazette. "Are you the same Jane Shirley? Not really a question after today's performance." She laughed.

"Yes, that's me." Jane admitted.

"I have to keep my eye out for possible talent and I don't know about the possible bit but you are definitely talented. How did you meet Emily and Augusta Stowe?!"

Jane laughed "by sneaking into the town hall where they were." She smiled

"I want you to join the paper." She said. "I normally audition." She said to her. "But I really don't need to with you." She smiled "I want to create a political column, but an offshoot of it. A one exclusively dedicated to feminism, and I want you to write it."

"Really?!" Jane questioned.

"Really." She confirmed. "Write like you did here." She said talking the paper in hand. "And the column is yours."

* * *

 _Men like that aren't worth the effort, but by the sounds of things you know it already Jane. The shameful thing is they come in all classes all societies and they have the whole world under thumb. The frat more so then most places but there's a few selective men I like to call my own, they seem new at the game of fraternities, who want to be 'in' with me (isn't that hilarious!?)_

 _Second year is harder then first, but I think I'm doing okay. There's this learning curve in second year, you're no longer a Freshmen and you're all on your own, the lecture's push you harder and getting the same grade is harder. The learning is so much more intense!_

 _But, I love intense, you know me._

 _Can I tell you a secret Janey? I think I know what I want to be._

 _It's science-y in a way, but its not exactly the same as my parents planned, but I think I want it. I'd like to be a doctor Jane. What a better way than applying the science we have then to advance the human race. To heal it of its ailments?_

 _I don't think my parents would disapprove, pap might actually pay for medical school if I make my mind up to do it, though I think my ma wanted me to take over the laboratory world make them some kind of fortune on… I don't know artificial gold? Writing papers on some dull thing or another?_

 _What do you think Janey?_

 _…_ _._

* * *

 ** _A doctor?! Oh Andy I could see you being a doctor! Oh you could go and see Gilbert he could help you, he likes you he'll show you the ropes, and he could teach you! I bet he'd see you over the summer! You'll like the Glen Andy, the field is wide for Gilbert's practice and many people want him as their doctor!_**

 ** _But he dotes on those children, especially Diana, whose named after a dear friend of Anne, who grew up with Gilbert, but she looks just like Anne! I'm telling you he adores anything which reminds him of Anne. It makes me smile, I think a family wouldn't be too bad to have, one day! After I'm finished writing about feminism or maybe at the same time. I wonder how you teach such things to the next generation, I mean my parents did it, yours, Anne, Willis, Mary, but I wonder how!?_**

 ** _Unfortunately I won't be going back to the island this summer. My editor Andrea is American and want to take me across states! We're starting in Washington DC and going by the new railroad over to Sacramento, we're stopping on the way of course! But I'll make a cross country trip! I'll get to see the American frontier! Oh Andy I'm so excited! But I can't believe it'll be another summer without seeing you, with the exception of these letters we would be complete strangers!_**

 ** _…_** ** _._**

* * *

 _Janey._

 _I can't believe you are leaving me for the summer! I should be mad at you but, what you said about going up to Anne and Gilbert's, actually really is very interesting! Do you think the Blythe's would be up for a visitor? I think it would be really interesting to shadow Gilbert at least?_


	13. When two souls meet

**Ah Janey... she's growing up!**

 **Its hard to believe this is the little Jane who jumped into Gilbert's arms all that time ago!**

 **Its funny I write quite far ahead with one of my stories so I know what's going to happen...**

 **As always oldmoviewatcher OriginalMcFishie Thanks for the reviews**

 **rebeccathehistorian thanks for your reviews I know I've inboxed you all where needed, I love how people are picking up on different things, its amazing how differently people read the same text!**

 **CatieGirl (Thank you for your advice on the last chapter about there needing to be something there to see how Jane was at university, I'm glad I added it now!) KimBlythe as always!**

 **love Carrots**

* * *

14 months later

"Oh its so nice to be home!" Jane exclaimed as she flopped on her bed. " I can't believe we're at the end of our second year already!"

"You grew up here?" Emma said in utter amazement.

"Yes, but it wasn't always this empty. There used to be another two beds in here, now its just me." She sighed, "when I'm here." She smiled and pulled her friend on the bed with her "And you for a few days too!" she laughed. "its always nice to have company."

"You have a really sweet mama." Emma said. "All my mother seems to do is scold me for not living up to my 'true potential'." She said with a sigh.

Jane looked at her friend seriously for a moment "I'm sorry about that Emma, truly I am." Jane sighed. "My mother is an angel." Jane sighed when suddenly her face changed.

"Jane what is it?" she asked her friend.

"Walt is home!" She exclaimed jumping up.

"But, I didn't hear any…." Emma started but then heard the door downstairs open followed by the sound of 'Jane' being called by an unfamiliar male voice.

She burst from her bed and ran down the hall and down the stairs, Emma couldn't keep up and stood at the top of the stairs watching as Walt and Jane embraced. She smiled as the pair seemed to have simultaneous conversations over each other and still seemed to understand. Emma made it to the bottom of the stairs where both twins looked at her for a split second before Jane spoke.

"You haven't met my dear friend yet have you?" Jane said looking between the stunned pair. "Walt this is Emma Stuart who I never shut up about, Emma this is my Walter, my twin brother." She said with a smile.

There was still a stunned silence between the pair and Jane could feel a strange sort of tension in the air. She nudged Walter before he would speak.

"Oh, um, that's to say, how do you do?" he managed.

"Walter!" Jane whispered clearly this wasn't anywhere near good enough a greeting for her liking.

To which Emma laughed sweetly bit her bottom lip and looked at Walter. "Hello."

"Yes that's it." He said with a smile bringing his hand out "hello." He said his smile breaking into a full smile.

"Hello." Emma said again.

"Hello!" Jane said elongated to get their attention away from each other.

"Hello." Walter said with a smile to his sister. He cleared his throat and took his sister in one arm then offered the other to Emma to which she smiled and took it. "Let me take two beautiful young ladies for a walk on such a fine day." He said with smile to them both.

"We can take lemonade and the jam tarts mama has been making." Jane said with a grin.

* * *

Jane stood at the kitchen door looking out onto the veranda at the two figures who were sitting on the swing chair together.

It was early morning the sun was rising in the distance behind the trees of the woodland park area which served as a pretty cut to town. The shades of reds, yellows and oranges offset against the skyline shadows. It really was beautiful. Jane really couldn't help but watch the pair sitting close together.

One her brother. He was the shy one. Walter. He was the quiet, steady one in her life. She knew him better then anyone else in the world. So she knew he was falling in love with the girl he sat next to.

Emma. Her best friend for the past two years. She was his opposite. She was frivolous and adventurous, she was talkative and fierce.

Yet somehow they made sense.

"Jane?" she heard behind her.

She turned in amazement to see Gilbert standing there. "Gil!" she exclaimed rushing into his arms. "When did you get here?!" she exclaimed.

"Very late last night." He told her. "There's a medical conference in town, I've been asked to be a guest speaker." He said to her. "I missed the train so I drove down and slept in the cottage." He said with a smile to his sister walking over to the door with her "and what were we looking at?" he asked her, looking out the door too. "Walter hm? And who is that with him?" he asked.

"My friend from university, Emma." She said with a raising fun eyebrow.

"Oh." He smiled his lips turning the 'o' at the end.

"It seems opposites attract," she smiled.

Gilbert grinned. "They could still just be friends?" he half suggested.

"No." Jane smiled. "And I'm glad."

"Glad!?" Gilbert exclaimed a great big grin on his face so Jane knew he wasn't being serious. "That's your twin brother and your best friend!"

Jane laughed. "And who better?" she shrugged. "Kindred Spirits are intertwined by the soul, outward appearances and personalities don't matter." She sighed. "Look at them Gilbert, they had this connection instantly, they are so closely linked . They met two days ago Gil, and look at them, they've been talking none stop, Walter never opens up you know that, yet he's sitting there chatting to her in a way, he's only ever talked to me." She sighed dreamily. "I think its wonderful."

Gilbert grinned. "When I met Anne, fell for her…" he thought for a moment "….within two seconds." He laughed as she laughed too. "But it was when we talked, it was like, I'd found a part of me which I didn't know existed but made me feel so complete." Gilbert looked at Jane. "Have you ever felt that way Jane?" he asked her.

"I…" Jane started her eyes going somewhere Gilbert thought for a moment she'd say it. For a millisecond, she seemed to consider a thought then dismissed it in her own mind as if she was thinking it was ridiculous "…I…don't think so." She whispered.

Gilbert nodded and looked out with her "you don't sound sure Jane." He said putting his arm around her.

"maybe one day I'll know for sure." She sighed. "For the moment, I don't have anyone special, not like this." She said leaning into Gilbert more. She chuckled slightly before she whispered "I better get some breakfast on."


	14. studies and friends

**I don't know if the notification for last weeks updates reached everyone FF was broken). Please have a quick look at the last chapter name sure you read it! love Carrots x**

* * *

"So this is where they are hiding all the pretty girls." An unknown male said by way of introduction to Jane and Emma. Jane and Emma sat in the room they shared their door open. Their beds were next to each other in the small room and two small desk along with a wardrobe and draws were all cramped into a small room.

"Excuse me?" Jane said looking at the boy incredulously.

"Pipe down Josh." Jane heard Walter's voice from down the hall.

"Walt?" Jane called getting up from her bed

"Hey Jane." He called before he reached the door poking his head round it. "Meet my next room neighbour." He said shaking his head. "Jane this is Josh, Josh, this is Jane my twin sister."

"aren't twins meant to look alike? No offense Walt but its hard to believe this vision is your twin!" he tried to charm Jane to which Emma physically laughed.

"We're fraternal twins." Jane said rolling her eyes. "As far as looks are concerned we're no more alike than any other siblings."

"Is that so?" he asked her to which Jane looked at him unbelievably.

"Drop the act Josh you're creeping my sister out." He said.

"Oh!" Josh exclaimed deflated he sat on a one of the chairs by the desks. "I'm telling you girls fall for a charmer."

"That was not charming." Walt said sitting on Jane's bed with her.

"It was creepy." Jane laughed. "But I'm willing to give you a second chance." She said. "I'm Jane."

"I'm Emma." She introduced herself.

"Yes, Walt has told me all about you both." He said. "We were wondering if you two would like a double date," he continued "Emma with Walt and me with you Jane?"

Jane looked at her brother in a private look as Emma gushed an acceptance from Walter. Walter's eye wrinkled a plea to her, he was still very nervous around Emma and although he really loved her company the excuse of a double date was perfect. Jane knew this, she knew it of her brother. She raised a playful eyebrow which Walter knew meant he would pay for this later "Sure," Jane confirmed "Sounds like fun."

* * *

The lecture was really quite interesting really. A core module but all the same interesting. The visiting lecturer owed several of the coal mines around Canada. His father's company initially, he had taken it over once he finished his college degree in New York.

By all accounts the man who stood in front of her was quite rich. There was something in his tone however which Jane found intriguing. Although it was obvious he was very proud of the company, he seemed, stagnated in his address. As if, it wasn't really his passion.

Jane sighed. Of all the things in the world, Jane knew a man and women, needed to be passionate about their work, otherwise, what was the point.

"Don't you think he's handsome?" one of the girls from behind Jane whispered to another girl sitting next to her.

"I don't think he would be half as handsome if he weren't so rich." The other replied.

"Oh I do." The first gushed. "And just look at his finger, he's not married."

Jane's eyes rolled at this. There was always some girl or another just looking for the handsomest, richest man to sweep her off her feet. Once upon a time, maybe it could have been her. Trev wasn't rich, but he had swept her along alright. It had been over four years ago now. She grinned, it was funny wasn't it? How your trail of thought can go from one thing to another quite so quickly. She quickly held back the smile, when they had met again, it had been sad in a way.

 _"Hello Jane." He had greeted her._

 _"Trev!" She exclaimed at the change of his appearance. Gone were the long far too greased back locks, they were cut back and less gel in his hair. His clothes were different he was different._

 _"Hello Jane." He said quietly. "How are you?" He asked her._

 _"I'm well thank you." She said quietly. "Um, are you?" she asked him._

 _He laughed at this "Yes, quite different huh?" he said looking down at his own attire._

 _"Quite." Jane agreed. "What inspired such a change? I barely recognised you." She admitted._

 _"Oh, I um…" He blushed. "Quite embarrassing actually." He admitted. "I um, my mother threw me out of the house." He told her._

 _"What?!" Jane said her eyes widening._

 _"With good reason." He said his hands up and shaking in front of him. "I got Annabella pregnant."_

 _"Preg-" she paused. "Oh?" she said looking at him. "Far point?" She asked him._

 _He sighed, "About six months after we stopped going." He sighed. "While you were studying to become a teacher my mother was screaming at me about responsibility and virtues." He sighed. "She threw me out the house, I crashed at friends for about a week before I realised I couldn't live like I was." He sighed. "I got a job, in coal mining anyway, I had nothing, but Annabella married me anyway, we rent a small place just over in Sleepy hollows Road."_

 _"oh." Jane said quite in shock over it, she did however shake it off quickly "So is there a little Trev running around then?" she asked him._

 _He sighed and bowed his head. "Bella lost the baby just after the wedding." He whispered looking at his feet. "We haven't tried again." He admitted._

 _Jane swallowed and closed her eyes "Oh Trev, I'm so sorry." She told him._

 _"Anna, has a hard time with it, she… we're…" he stumbled. "Its hard." He admitted. "I never wanted to marry, I never wanted kids but…" he sighed._

 _"You don't have to explain to me." Jane said to him._

 _"I owe you an explanation, or an apology or something. I didn't know what I let slip through my fingers." He whispered, to Jane's surprise sentimentally._

 _Jane looked up at him and watched him surprised_

 _"and I want to thank you. You had a lot of ammunition against me Jane, you really had every right to…"_

 _"Hush now." Jane demanded. "Not another word or apology, you seem to have learnt your lesson in a very hard way."_

 _He sighed. "You Jane Shirley…" he said with a smile "always were an original mould." He took her by the hands "I should never…" he started._

 _"Don't Trev," she whispered "you're a married man."_

 _"You need to know, you have to." He whispered._

 _She looked up at him. "And I do now, without you saying it." She said gently slipping her hands out of his. "this way, you remain faithful to your wife." She said plainly._

 _He stood for a moment as if rejected then started to walk away. "Trev?" she called to him. He turned and looked at her. "Your wife." She started. "You might be unhappy right now, but there's a wound you both share." She continued. "start to heal it." She advised "It will close the caesium between you." She walked over and stood in front of him. "Find the good in her, focus on that, share that with her, even if its small find something every day and really love her for them."_

 _He looked at her "Will that make me happy?" he asked her._

 _She took a deep breath. "it's a start." She bit her bottom lip and sighed "Goodbye Trev." She told him._

"That's it for this week." The lecturer called. "I have a handout for you all, in case any of you forgot to take notes." To which he received several laughs. "I was young once." He told them.

She started to walk past him when he stopped her "Do I know you?" he asked her.

"Um, no professor." She admitted.

"You look familiar." He said with a shrug.

She smiled awkwardly. "I enjoyed your lecture." She told him. "It seems the world of business has many pockets to it I never considered."

"Yes, it does." He agreed.

"But its not where your passion lies." She observed.

"excuse me?" he asked her.

She swallowed quickly "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She said walking out the lecture theatre quietly cursing herself for saying such a thing.

She expected that was the last she would see of him before the next lecture but she was wrong. "Wait a minute." He called after her. "What made you say that?" he asked her taking her by her arm for a moment before he quickly let go. "Sorry." He said immediately.

She bit her bottom lip "I can sometimes tell." She said. "When people aren't talking about the things they are passionate about, I can tell." She quickly corrected herself "Your lecture was very good…" she started.

"Poetry." He said simply. "…and books." He said.

There was a heavy pause between them.

"I'm sorry, but why are you not teaching those?" she asked.

He laughed at this. "Terribly bold aren't you?" he said.

"Sorry professor." She said.

He took her by the arm again "I'm not a professor, I'm just a visiting lecturer."

They looked at each other and he said again "Are you sure I don't know you?" he asked her.

"Nope," she said with a shake of the head.

He smiled at her, "this is going to seem wildly inappropriate, but do you want to get coffee somewhere?" he asked her.

* * *

"Another dance?" Walter asked her incredulously. "How do you ever get any work done around here?" he asked his sister.

"Most students don't attend both first year and third year socials and we went to that awful production of 'The Rival' with you two." She reminded him "You owe us big time!" she exclaimed.

"Aw Jane…." Walter started.

"She's right you know." Josh said with a smile. "that was an awful production." He looked to his friend a shrugged "plus, you know its more time with Emma." He said with a grin and a wink to Walter.

"Or maybe the fact that you two are now courting means you don't need to impress Emma anymore…" Jane played.

"Well you know what they say about once you've been caught…." Josh said backing up Jane.

Walter sighed and put down his pencil before he looked up at the pair. "It's a shame you two decided to be 'just friends'," he observed "if you got together you'd be a formidable force."

Jane smiled. "Well that's the exact reason we are just friends." She said with a grin to Josh.

"Give everyone else a fighting chance." Josh said with a wink to Jane.

Jane laughed as she got up kissing Walter on the cheek "Thank you Walt." She said wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah yeah. What time tomorrow?" he asked her.

"it starts at seven, pick us up at six thirty?" she said to which he nodded. "I'm off." She said with a smile.

"Lecture?" he asked her as he saw the pile of books and paper she picked back up.

"Um, no."she said. "I'm going to a study session." She told him.

"You?" Walt asked in amazement.

"Oh hush!" she said her eyebrows knitted. "I know how to study! Ask Andy."


	15. Placing Trust

I have been updating these stories weekly bases and Fanficton has had some problems of late, just go through the last few chapters make sure you've read them.

* * *

Dear Andy,

I don't know if you'll receive a gushing letter from Jane about this. I don't actually know if you two have kept in touch really. But its big news and I thought you would want to know. Jane's engaged.

I haven't met the fellow. She's being unusually secretive about it. She's bringing him home over the summer.

I don't even know if Jane will tell you but I thought you ought to know. Although you've not clasped eyes on each other in years, I thought you'd have a right to know.

….

Walter

11-May

Dear Walt,

Thanks for the update bud, that's some big news alright. Be sure to pass on my congratulations to Jane for me, it would explain Jane's pace in letter writing has seemed to have slowed down.

End of fourth year is a big deal for my dad and he's really proud I got into the medical school here at Yale next academic year. I'm actually staying here over the summer to shadow a doctor in Yale New Haven Hospital, which I'm really excited about. Shadowing Gilbert in the field last summer was fantastic and they seem really impressed I took the initiative and have already shadowed a doctor. So I won't be coming back this summer at all.

Be sure to pass on my congratulations to Jane for me.

Andy.

11-May

Dear Father,

I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer to shadow your alumni friend at the hospital over the summer. I don't think I have any need to come home since you said you and ma would come and visit me here it really would be a wasted opportunity and maybe you're right, maybe it will give me even more an advantage then I already have.

Maybe I could get started on the coursework ASAP.

Andy.

* * *

"So what do you know about this fellow Walt?" Gilbert quizzed him as they set the table outside in the back garden.

Anne rolled her eyes and laughed "Gilbert Blythe leave him alone, he already said he didn't know."

"I have to make sure this boy is up to the mark for my Janey!" he exclaimed. "You Shirley girls only deserve the best." He said with a grin to his wife holding her round her waist.

Anne's eyebrow raised playfully as she laughed "You're starting to sound like my papa."

Gilbert mocked gasped and laughed "ouch!" he exclaimed which made Walt laugh.

"I'm telling you I know as little as you do, only the fellow must be well off, he simply showers her with gifts, jewellery, visits to restaurants museums and the theatre."

"The mysteries of the rich!" Thomas said with a smile to Gilbert. "Can use their money to charm the girls." He said with a laugh.

Gilbert chuckled. "Well I prefer the old-fashioned way." He said with a loving gaze to Anne. "Money can't buy happiness." He said.

"Well…" Anne started and looked at him as if to start a debate.

"You don't believe that!" he exclaimed, "I know you don't."

"No." She agreed, "but it does a lot to secure a person."

"Ah but what is rich?" interjected Thomas. "I would tell you ma and pap were very rich though we had little money."

"I didn't have a penny to my name when we married." Gilbert said with a look to Anne. "We were always happy." He chuckled "Less than not a penny. We were in a tiny blue room in Patty's place, scrimping on everything… coming back here and living in our little cottage"

"But we had each other." Anne said.

"That's all we ever needed." He said to her.

"That's all we ever need." She agreed kissing into his curls.

"We've always had food on our table, good company and excellent imaginations." He said. "I think we have been very rich indeed."

"We have." Anne agreed. "But I for one could have done without the scrimping and saving." She smiled kissing her husband. "But you always have been such a good provider."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "I for one cannot wait to become a full pledged lawyer." He commented.

"You know I heard you had your eye on a certain young lady of Redmond Alumni?" Gilbert asked him.

Thomas spun and glared at Robert. "Don't look at me!" he exclaimed. "I haven't breathed a word." Robert told his brother honestly. He then looked confused at Anne.

"This is the first I've heard about it." She said putting her hands in the air in mock. "Don't get upset about it Thomas." She said kissing him on his cheek as if he was still a boy "You can never keep a secret in a big family for long."

"Jane ought to be congratulated then." Gilbert laughed. "For leading a double life." He grinned.

"I for one wonder what he's like." Bertha came out with a chicken stew, Walter close behind her with bread rolls and the butter dish.

Gilbert looked to his in laws. "Say Bertha did you ever feel poor when you married Walter?" he asked her.

"Oh come on!" Anne exclaimed. "I was talking about money securing happiness, not creating it." She sighed. "Money can help secure us can it not, buying your own home, being able to put food on the table, those things need money!" Anne exclaimed.

"It's the means of an end goal. It doesn't create the happiness." Walter chirped in.

"I suppose that's what I mean." Anne said reflect of her earlier comments. "Someone can be wealthy and have a lot of money but still be miserable because the things that do matter, family, friends if they are in turmoil, no amount of money throwing will fix it."

"Then we're in agreement." Gilbert said with a wink to her.

Anne smiled and kissed him gently. "Then we got onto talking about Thomas' lady friend."

"Ohhh I can't believe my babies are in love!" Bertha exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh come on!" Thomas exclaimed. "How can you know?!"

Bertha laughed "A mother has her ways." She looked to her grandchildren who were all looking at her from the other side of the table "Always remember that children." She laughed to them while they dutifully obeyed. "Oh no, we forgot the salad!" Bertha exclaimed.

"That's okay." Anne chirped up. "I'm still standing I'll go and get it." Anne said with a smile and she turned to go in the back door but was stopped suddenly her eyes looking wide at doorframe where stood Jane and the man she assumed was her fiancé. Anne's gasp was such it made Gilbert look round and as he saw he came over and looked in Anne's eyeline. The sight made him tense and stand protectively in front of Anne one arm went behind him wrapping it around Anne's waist protectively the other reaching for Jane looking at her directly.

"Janey…" he started.

"Gilbert!" She exclaimed looking at him incredulously. "What's going on?" she asked him.

"Jane." He said again. "Baby Sister take my hand." He said calmly not taking his eyes off the man.

Jane looked widely at him and the cowering figure of her sister behind him. "I don't understand."

"Please Jane?" he asked her.

The sight of what was happening brought to attention Willis and Walter senior, Robert and Thomas walked over.

Jane looked at Gilbert again before she did actually take his hand to which he pulled her to him then behind him with Anne. Then something happened Jane had never seen before, a look a fury across Gilbert's face and it was at her fiancé.

"You!" Gilbert exclaimed looking at the defendant.

"I can explain." The man started before Gilbert lurched at him but not before Walter Willis Robert and Thomas pulled him back, two of them needed at first to stop Gilbert from pushing though. This then attracted Bertha's attention, not before Walter turned and saw the man at the door.

"You!" Walter exclaimed before he went for the man too.

"Don't!" Willis pulled back his father looking at him, "What in heavens name is going on!" he spat.

"That's him!" Walter exclaimed pointing at the man in the doorway. "Anne…" His father started before Willis realised what his father meant his face turned red in fury as he started towards the door being held back by his mother.

"Mom!" Willis exclaimed. "Come on!" he told her. "Do you know who this is?" he asked her.

"Yes I do." Bertha said gently. "But violence never solved anything." She said calmly then looked at her husband "Am I right Walter?" she asked him.

Walter looked from the man to his wife then to his grandchildren who were currently being distracted by Bertha Jr, who knew something was wrong but had decided to mother the children while the adults solved whatever was happening. "Yes dear."

"Gilbert?" Bertha asked him. She could see the distress on his face looking at the man and guarding both Anne and Jane with his own body.

"I don't understand." Jane said looking confused at Gilbert. "Do you know him?" She asked Gilbert.

"I think this conversation needs to continue inside." Bertha said calmly. "Willis, Thomas Robert, come with me and your father." She decided. "We need to stay out here."

"But Mom!" Willis objected.

"Never mind that!" Bertha looked at him. "Come on." She said leading the boys away. They all turned and went inside Gilbert keeping the two girls behind him. Jane looked in surprised when they got into the kitchen and Gilbert gathered Anne in his arms asking her over and over if she was okay.

Jane didn't understand as she reached for her fiancé, he took her hand and Gilbert turned with the same glare in his eyes as before.

"Don't touch her." He said to the man.

"She is my fiancé, you have no right!" he told Gilbert finally speaking.

"I have every right! I'm here to protect her!" he said. "Baby Jane please…" Gilbert said looking at Jane talking softly to her a look a desperation in his eyes, "Please come to me, stay away _fro_ … from that man!" he said his voice cracking.

"I don't understand." Jane repeated. "Do you know Gilbert?" she asked her fiancé.

* * *

I am awful... I know!


	16. Never Upset a Shirley Girl

Here it is!

* * *

"Jane." Anne finally spoke. "Come out front with me." She said holding out her hand to her sister, Jane could see her hand was shaking as it outstretched. "There's something more I need to tell you." She whispered.

Jane looked confused for a moment but willing took her sisters hand and went out front to the veranda.

At this Gilbert grabbed the man by his shirt his hand in fist "What the hell Roy!" he exclaimed.

"I fell in love!" Roy told him.

"You forget I know you!" he said grabbing him. "It's not love."

"Are we talking about Jane here or Anne?" he said as Gilbert's grip tightened on him.

"You son of a…" Gilbert started.

"You never told me your little Janey looked just like Anne…" he seemed to snarled at Gilbert.

"You're fifteen years older than her!"

"Age is just a number!" Roy exclaimed. "Can't you see this is perfect, you get to keep Anne and I get…."

"You are not getting any of the Shirley girls!" Gilbert defended.

"I love her!" Roy shouted back. "I didn't put the pieces together until it was too late!"

"And what was that 5 minutes!?" he exclaimed. "I seem to remember you falling in and out of love quicker then I shaved!"

"Well excuse me if I didn't have an Anne Shirley to keep hold of!" He sneered. "Jane is lovely and sweet and kind and thoughtful…"

"I know!" Gilbert yelled. "I've known her since she was three years old!" he pulled back and walked towards the table hitting it with his clenched fist.

"I haven't known her since she was three. I know a beautiful intelligent funny young lady."

"Who bears an uncanny resemblance to Anne!" Gilbert almost choked. "I know all that Jane is." He said calmly. "She is my baby sister." He almost whispered.

"I could give her all she deserves!" Roy started to which Gilbert snorted.

"Oh Roy!" he said sitting down his hand cupping his head. "You think such a young lady deserves a man who did what you did, to her sister." Gilbert sighed. "Is that what Jane deserves?" he asked.

* * *

"Anne, what's going on?" Jane asked her sister.

"Do you remember when you came up to my house to get away from mom and dad and I told you about the consequences of certain behaviours?" she asked Jane.

"Well yes of course!" Jane exclaimed looking at her sister.

"I didn't say who it was." Anne said sitting on the swing sofa and taking a big sigh. "Gilbert had a roommate, someone who Gilbert thought he genuinely liked, they were close, Gilbert picked up the pieces after broken up relationships, they were really close, shared a room for two years." She took a sigh and looked out into the sunset in front of her. "His mother got sick so had to defer his third and fourth year for a couple of years putting him in my year group and when he came back from his break in his education he…" she took a deep breath as Jane sat beside her. "… started to try and tempt me away from Gilbert." Jane looked to her sister wide eyed not quite knowing where Anne was going with all of it. "dresses, chocolates, jewellery, flowers and he… flirted…" Anne took a deep breath blinking back some tears. "… We went to a dance one night, after I told Gilbert everything and he pulled me from the dancefloor and into some gardens and that's where he tried…" she trailed as her sister started to cry. "He didn't manage anything, Gilbert pulled him off and socked him…" Anne said with a weak smile.

"Anne?" she asked her, "What does that have to do with Roy?" she asked Anne.

"Janey.." Anne said taking her sisters hands in hers. "It was Roy." She whispered.

Jane's eyes went wider "Anne?" Jane question her eyes filled with tears. "No!" she protested trying to take her hands away from Anne's. "Why would you say that?!" she protested.

"You think I would say such a thing about anyone who didn't do those things?" Anne asked her.

Jane's heart plummeted as her memory brought back the first words he had said to her "Do I know you…" she quoted him.

"Sorry?" Anne said looking to Jane.

"Those were his first words to me… she trailed. "He…" she swallowed "He recognised me…" she took a breath "because I look like you!" she gasped.

"I'm sorry." Anne said her head going down for a moment. Jane put her forefinger under Anne's chin and made her look.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Jane told her sister. "And I'm sorry, for putting you through this…" Jane said her eyes spilling the tears she was desperate to shed "all over again!"

"I love you Jane, I'm sorry you had to find out this way that it was your…" Anne gasped. "Do you love him?" she asked her.

Jane shook her head "I thought I did." She admitted. "I could never love anyone who did that Anne, never!" Jane told her wrapping her arms into her sisters. "I love you Anne." She whispered as she cried.

* * *

The two men were silent for a moment before the door opened and Anne came in the door.

Anne looked to Gilbert and spoke gently. "Jane wants to talk to you." She almost whispered. Gilbert looked to Anne wide eyed who smiled gently "Its okay." She said to him. "I'll be okay" she said to him.

Gilbert stood up took Anne's hands for a moment squeezed them and kissed her in her hair. "I'll be just there." He said quietly and he opened the small window which went out to the veranda before he went out.

Anne looked to Roy before she went to the knife rack and took a small blade out put it in front of her at the kitchen table sitting down the chair Gilbert had just been sitting at.

"What's that for?" he asked her.

"Self-defence." She told him to which he chuckled. "You think scaring a woman is funny?" she said the tears gathering in her eyes.

"No of course not Anne." He said to her moving towards her to which she quickly picked up the knife, he quickly backed off back to the kitchen bench he was leaning on.

"What you did…" Anne told him. "Caused a lot of problems between Gilbert and me did you know that?" she asked him.

Roy looked to her his eyebrows knitted. "No I didn't."

"He got really quite jealous, he nearly broke off our engagement." She told him.

There was silence between the two for a moment before Roy started "I didn't know it wou…" he started.

"Of course you did, you intended on raping me, are you telling me you hoped Gilbert wouldn't drop me like a fly so you could have me all to yourself." She said a tear falling from her eye.

"I didn't think that far ahead, I can't tell you what I was thinking or why I was thinking it." He said to her.

"Well that's a comfort." She said frustrated. There was another silence before she continued. "Gilbert can't touch me where you did." She proclaimed then swallowed. "On my leg where you grabbed me." She said her throat burning. "Not because he didn't want to, but because when he did I would jump, he soon realised, and avoided the area completely." The tears now running down her face "I can't share a part of my physical body with my husband, because of you." Anne told him. "And it kills me that I can't." she took a deep breath "And its your fault."

"Anne…" He started.

"No!" she demanded. "Don't you dare! I haven't blamed you for what happened for so long!" she told him "and it's time to take the blame!" she exclaimed. "Because now, you are involving my baby sister!" she told him "and she will not take this lying down like I did."

"Anne." He said taking the chair opposite her and sitting down, "please tell me…" he said to her, "How can I keep Jane."

Anne looked at him and shook her head and chuckled. "Oh Roy!" she exclaimed. "She was never really yours in the first place."

* * *

Gilbert shut the door behind himself and looked over at the figure who was now curled in the corner of the veranda. He took a deep breath of a sigh and slid down next to her offering her his arms to which she quickly wrapped herself in. She cried into them for a few minutes, allowing herself the grief because she could with Gilbert and she felt him start to shake as he allowed the tears to fall from his face. "I never meant for this to happen Gil…" she whispered. "I swear it."

"Don't do that Janey." He whispered back. "Royal Gardner has the ability to make his actions make everyone else feel guilty. You are not to blame." He ended before she pulled herself up sat with her legs in front of her like Gilbert her back against the railing. "Has he ever tried to do anything Jane?" Gilbert asked her.

Jane looked at Gilbert wide eyed before she shook her head. "I keep thinking this must be a nightmare." She sighed "But it's not, it's real." She said quietly. She looked at Gilbert and said to him.

Gilbert sighed. "We can go back in and talk." He suggested. "It's been a long time he could have changed." He suggested "ten… eleven years… it changes a man."

"and make you go through the conflict which is in your eyes every time we meet?" she questioned.

"I can forgive him?" Gilbert offered smiling the best he could at Jane.

"I can't do that to you Gil, I can't do it to Anne." She took a sigh and buried herself into Gilbert's shoulder "I love you more." She said before she burst into tears again, Gilbert knowing the you were a collective one for him and Anne.

He took a breath and held her closer "It doesn't mean it's not hurting right now." He whispered

The door opened and in came Jane, her eyes red from crying Gilbert standing behind her.

Roy stood up and looked to her "Jane..." he started but soon regretted moving closer to her at all as her hand came up to his face and a loud clap thundered through the kitchen as her hand came into contact with his face slapping him hard. "Jane!" He exclaimed in shock.

"That is for me!" she told him as a red mark started to form on his cheek "How dare you even approach me, you knew who I was the moment you saw me and don't go denying it!" she exclaimed to him. Unexpectedly another slap hit his other cheek with the same gusto as the first "That is for Gilbert, how dare you try and take away his fiancé from him, once a girl is engaged she is off limits. Oh and speaking of which…" she said "Consider this my father's disapproval of your proposal, and my formal decline of the offer." She said. She looked as though she was about to walk away before she lastly stopped suddenly her fist clenched she hit as hard as she could into his nose. "And that's for what you tried to do to Anne!" she told him as he tried to stop the yelp leaving his mouth "You sick man, that's my sister! You really think once I found out I would choose you?!" She almost screamed at him. "If you come near me again and if you set foot on the campus again, I will tell the dean, and I mean all of it! I can't imagine him keeping you on staff after this tale!" With all said she ran through the parlor and steps were heard going up the stairs.

Roy stood in shock for a moment before he looked at his two former friends.

"I'll get something for your eye." Anne whispered going off in search for a rag she could use.

Gilbert stood for a moment and looked at Roy.

"Did no one warn you the Shirley have a temper as fiery as their hair?" Gilbert said trying to repress the smile forming on his face.

"Bet you wanted to see that for a long time." Roy said to Gilbert.

"Actually I spent a long time trying to forget you all together." He admitted. "You betrayed my trust and Anne's and now Jane's."

"I know." Roy admitted. "I really do love Jane." He said quietly.

Gilbert swallowed and looked to the floor for a moment "That's probably true." Gilbert sighed. "or at least the closest thing to love you can feel at least." He continued "Out there, I told Jane something, ten years ago, I didn't think I would ever be able to say." He said quietly. Roy looked up at Gilbert hopefully. "That I would forgive you, for her sake." He sighed. "But it would be for mine too." He admitted. "I know we're meant to forgive and forget, I don't know about the last part, I think I need to protect my family…" he trailed. "But I know I'm not the perfect man." He said with a swallow.

Roy looked at him wide eyed for a moment. "You're a better man then me Blythe." Roy told him.

"I hope so!" Gilbert exclaimed darkly. "beside…" he said his own mirth returning to his eyes "You've been beat up twice over Anne." He said with a chuckle.

Roy took a sigh "I think my pride was more hurt over the second beating if you don't mind me saying." He said quietly.

"Never mess with a Shirley girl." Gilbert said to him. "Where are you staying?" He asked Roy.

"Oh, I've book my suite at the Great George." He said as Anne entered the room with what she needed to help Roy out.

Gilbert stood to one side watching Roy's every move as Anne sat in front of Roy holding the damp cloth to his blooded nose. Roy looked up at Anne and opened his mouth as if to say something then shut his mouth again. "I didn't think it would end up like this." Roy said to her.

"How did you think it would end?" Anne asked him.

"I…" he started but couldn't seem to end it. He looked at Anne as if to study her. "You've not changed at all." He observed. "How many of those children were yours?" Roy asked her.

Anne smiled slightly at the mention of her children "Five." She said.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "Really?" he asked "most women would have put some weight on round the middle with five!"

"My mamma didn't." Anne shrugged, she looked at his expanding middle wondering what Jane saw, he wasn't fat yet, but hadn't kept his frame as Gilbert had "You don't have that excuse." She said with a grin.

"No." he laughed.

"I guess its just good genes." She said.

"Sure are." He said looking at her meaningfully.

Anne pulled back at his words and stood up walking to the other side of the kitchen where Gilbert stood between them.

"You better go." Gilbert said protecting his wife.

Roy walked towards the door then looked back at them "You know what?" he said. "I think I should stick to blondes."

* * *

"It is so late…" Gilbert sighed. "I can't believe how late it is." He wiggled down into bed "Ah!" he exclaimed "Oh Anne you sure do make a man's bed for him." He said laying back and closing his eyes relaxing.

"Do you think Jane will be okay?" Anne asked him getting into bed next to him.

"She's resilient, like you." Gilbert told her.

"She also has a sensitive heart like mine." Anne admitted. "She'll be hurting."

"Well that's why we're all here." Gilbert admitted.

To Gilbert's surprise Anne crawled on top of him, her legs straddling him. "Anne" he exclaimed his eyes opening in the surprise. "What are you doing?!"

"Something I should have done a long time ago." She whispered bringing her nightie over her head leaving her completely nude in front of him. His jaw dropped slightly as she rocked on him as she let her hair down then took him by the hand and lay it on her thigh exactly where Roy had grabbed at her.

"Anne…" he started "No sweetheart no no, I don't need to!" he exclaimed quickly.

"I know." She said putting her hand on top of his stopping him from moving away then moved his hand further up and round her thigh. "But I want you to." She told him. "I want to share all of me with you and I mean all of me." She whispered. She gasped as his hand reach where Roy had touched her all those years ago, the look of worry on Gilbert's face was obvious but as he noticed Anne calm for the first time he started to relax into it.

"Anne are you sure?" he asked her.

"All yours." She whispered hotly.

Gilbert smiled at his wife lovingly and held her there for a moment. "I won't ever hurt you." He whispered.

"I know." Anne assured him.

All else said was lost in the sheets.


	17. Making it right

**I know I have everyone screaming for Andy, don't you all worry, he's getting on and will soon make a comeback, honestly I missed writing him he's awesome and so coming back with a bang!... just not in this chapter (Stayed tuned)**

* * *

"I don't know if it was best, you coming back to school this year." Walter said carefully to Jane. "After the summer you've had." He sighed.

"I'll admit to being in shock at first…" she started.

"In Shock!" Walter exclaimed "What happened was scandalous! I can't believe they didn't tell us!"

"Oh Walt, be serious…" Jane told him "We were children, it wouldn't have been appropriate at all!"

"Even so, a man doing that to our sister, Anne especially." He sighed heavily "You know, its almost as bad as what happened to you." He said putting his arm round his sister.

"Thanks Walt." She whispered to him "But I'm really fine, I'm not going to defer my final year of education and morn that scumbag!" she exclaimed. "What he did was worse then Trev." She said her nose turning up "Trev would never have tried to do anything against my will. Persuaded maybe, never forced."

"Its not gentlemanly like at all to do either." Walt said offended, "You know that!"

"I know I know…" Jane said kissing her brother on the cheek. "I promise you this year is about making a name for myself." She said with a grin "I'm editor of the newspaper and now my column isn't just the latest fad it's a stable, I'm going to encourage the use to feminism in the paper by my writers, you know I plan for my dissertation to be on feminism and politics." She said.

"And I suppose they wouldn't hold it off for a year?" he asked her.

"I don't want to hold it off for a year!" she exclaimed to him "Why should I?" to which Walt sighed.

"You're a force to be reckoned with. "Walt said with a smile shaking his head.

"And don't go forgetting it." She said with a smile. "Besides who would play chaperone to you and Emma?" she said with a smile. He looked down into his lap for a moment before he looked up at Jane. "What?" she asked him. "What is it?"

"Well, its just…" he started. "Do you think she'd like to…" he trailed. "At Christmas I mean, I want to…"

"Spit it out Walter!" Jane exclaimed.

"I want to ask Emma to marry me." He told Jane, the expression on his own face was shocked that he shared it with someone.

"Oh!" Jane exclaimed. "Walt!" she said wrapping her arms around him "That's wonderful!"

"I think she's wonderful." He said quietly. "You won't mind will you?" he asked her.

"Mind?" Jane asked "Why would I mind?"

"Well its just we've always be close, I'd hate to think you'd think I don't want us to be…"

"What twins?" she asked him. "We can't help that Walt, neither would I if I could." She sighed. "Whoever we marry, will just have to understand we have a twin thing going on." She said with a grin to him. "So when were you thinking?" she asked him.

"New years day." He told her. "We already have our holidays planned out, I'll be going to her parents' house over the new year so I'll even get to ask her father before I ask her."

"Awwww!" Jane squealed. "Oh Walt you old romantic you!"

"I've never felt like this before Jane." He told her honestly.

"No," Jane smiled. "I know you haven't."

Walter looked at his sister seriously for a moment. "He's out there you know, your future." He said quietly. "Don't loose heart."

Jane shook her head and laughed. "Oh Walt, I think I can promise you after all this, I am through with boys!" she said "I shall die an old maid!"

* * *

"Gilbert?" Anne said to him approaching him carefully. "Can we talk for a moment?" she asked him.

Gilbert looked up from his work suddenly. The piles of paperwork surrounding him, "Sweetheart." He said looking at her. "Of course, love come in." he said almost reverently holding her hand out to her. "I miss you." He told her as he sat her on his knee.

Anne smiled. She was tired and he could tell. She worked constantly with the children insisting she do it all herself. But five children and eleven years of marriage, Gilbert could hardly expect her not to complain, yet she didn't. She never did.

"I have something to tell you." She whispered tenderly to him.

"Oh?" he asked her. "Intrigue."

She smiled. "I thought you might have noticed by now." She said quietly, "but I know you've been busy with work and with everything that's been going on with the kids and the holidays…" she trailed.

"Anne?" he asked. "Are you alright?" he asked her. "Are you sick?!" he exclaimed "Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry have I been too busy to notice you're sick!?" he continued "Sweetheart…" he started.

"Gil…" she started.

"No I've been meaning to offer again…"

"Sweetheart…" she continued

"Not offer rather insist…"

"I'm pregnant." She said at the same time as he said

"We get help…" he started, then looked wide eyed at his wife.

"You're…" he said his eyes widening. "Preg-" he paused. "When?!"

She smiled. "It dates back to the night I let you touch me here…" she said placing his hand on her thigh again.

"Three months!" He exclaimed in surprise looking at her in disbelief. "Three months, how?! I mean you… there's been no morning sickness…"

"Well you've been busy, they happened when you weren't there." She said sweetly with a smile which slowly dropped. "Aren't you happy Gilbert?" she asked him.

"Oh Anne!" he exclaimed, Standing with her still in his arms picking her up in cradle style turning them round Anne took him round his neck holding him laughing. "Of course I'm happy!" he exclaimed "The perfect combination of you and me." He said putting her gently on the floor "…is growing inside of you…"he said rubbing across her stomach "…right now!" he smiled. "I can barely believe it!" he exclaimed. He looked at her in awe "It's perfect." He grinned "So what do you think?" he asked her rubbing her again. "Girl or boy?"

She smiled sweetly "it feels like a boy."

"Another boy huh?" he smiled "My boy in there." He beamed. "Oh my love," he snuggled into her "sweetheart its about time we get some help in."

"No love." She told him sweetly, "but I have been thinking…" she said quietly "I was wondering if maybe, you would like to go back to Charlottetown maybe, we'd be closer to family and then we won't need to pay for help."

"We can afford to." He objected.

"But we don't need to!" Anne exclaimed.

Gilbert sighed, "If we move back to Charlottetown we have to start over, build up a new practice."

"But we'll have all of our saving and the money we get from selling our house plus all that help." He turned round and sat back in his chair and sat pensively. "I don't think we should make a decision right now." She said to him. "Just think about it." She suggested.

"I will." He said quietly. He looked at her and smiled. "Of course, I will." He said again, he took a sigh then smiled again "Are our other babies in bed?" he asked her, to which she nodded. "Come sit on my lap a while." He said bringing his hand out to her "Its been such a long time since we had some moments together." He whispered.


	18. Andy

_**Andy its Andy we all love ANDY!**_

* * *

Andy was in a rush again. He was always running late and tardiness was really frowned upon in medical school. You can't possibly learn what you needed to if you were late. So Andy knew he had to be there on time.

"Andrew!" One of the lads shouted at his Frat leader. "Where's the fire!"

"I can't be late for that tram!" he exclaimed running out the door with a piece of toast in his hand, his shirt still untucked, tie untied around his neck and case in hand several of the boys had congregated at the door to laugh at their presidents latest attempt at being on time- "See you tonight boys!" he called, running to the tram stop at the end of the road. He ran down the street only to see it start to move away from the stop. "no, no no no!" he yelled still running for it "You are not leaving without me!" he willed it, running up to it and grabbing the pole at the end of the cart. The conductor tutted at him as he gave him his money, Andy smiled and bid him good morning before he found a seat and tucked himself in properly.

"Well, of course it isn't a local girl, no girl here would write such things!" The man behind him proclaimed.

"Oh Papa, don't be such a stick on the mud, Feminism is a new wave going across the world, and if you don't care for it, you should, you don't really think I should be treated differently because I'm a girl do you?"

"Its not respectable to be like this!" The man exclaimed to his daughter. Andy rolled his eyes at the conversation as he tied his bow tie. "all this talk of equality for all, not just females mind, everyone, since when has feminism meant everyone, it means females."

"I guess she means that when women have equality so will other minorities." The women said. "It might be radical to you father, but I think this Miss Shirley has the right idea."

Andy froze for a second and looked at the two strangers behind him. "Excuse me?" he asked them politely. "When you said Miss Shirley?" he questioned.

"This one." The man said holding up the New York times and throwing it at Andy. "Keep it, I'm sick of this feminism malarkey and I'll have no more talk of it from you!" he exclaimed to his daughter getting up they both left the cart.

Andy's heart raced in his chest as he turned the pages of the newspaper, his eyes widened as he found the piece right there in the New York Times.

 _Why Feminism affects us all. By Jane Shirley. Originally published in The Redmond Review_

Andy knew he didn't have time to re-read the whole piece right now, but his lips turned to a full-on smile at the paper "Jane Shirley," he whispered. "You did it!" he grinned. "You highly improbable girl, you did it!" he said quietly.

He hadn't heard from Walt since the letter telling him on Jane's engagement, and he hadn't heard from Jane since before that. It was okay, old friends always move on, and at worse he was going back home in a month for the summer, he would catch up with the Shirley's then. He was sure by now he would actually be over Jane and his smile was for an old friend who had done well. He could, congratulate her in person for her engagement, in fact she could very well be married by now. He admitted to himself. He couldn't help it if he was proud of an old friend. Yes, he would greet her with a 'hello Jane.' She would introduce her fiancé and they would all get along as old chums. He slipped the paper in his case and jumped from the tram as it came to a halt. "Hey, Andrew." He heard a classmate call. "On time?" he joked.

Andy laughed for a moment and looked at his friend. "Me?" he said "I'm never late." The two boys looked at each other for a moment then laughed.

"Have you seen the New York times today?" Andy asked his friend pulling out the paper giving it to the lad. "See that Jane Shirley?" he asked his friend.

The lad looked at the newspaper and then looked at Andy. "Do you know her?" He asked Andy.

"I haven't seen her in nearly five years but, yeah, she was one of my best friends growing up." He said with a grin.

"Who's into feminism?" he questioned. "Radical Andrew?"

"Archaic Robert." Andy said rolling his eyes.

"Now, come now I'm not saying I disagree exactly." Robert said. "I don't know if I'd use the term feminism, exactly."

Andy grinned. "Oh, I would." He said grinning at the article again. "I'm so proud of her!" he smiled wider then Robert had ever seen Andy smile before, so wide, did Andy actually have dimples?

"You love her." Robert said to Andy, it wasn't a question more of an observation.

Andy's smile faded and he looked to the ground shyly. "I can't." he said taking a breath.

"You can't what?" he asked this time "Love her?"

"She's engaged to another man." He said quietly. "I…" he swallowed. "It doesn't matter." He said talking the paper from his friend and putting it back into his case.

"I'm sorry Andrew." Robert said.

"Can't change it, can I?" Andy said with a shrug, just got to get on with it. He said with a sigh. "And I'm actually going back to the island this year, I might have to see her, I have to hide my disappointment better than that." He said smiling sadly walking them on down the path to the building their lecture was in. "I'm not pining after her, I have to get on with things don't I?" he said with a shrug.

* * *

It was later that night Andy finally got to read the article.

 _Why Feminism affects us all. By Jane Shirley. Originally published in The Redmond Review_

 _Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young woman who married a very rich noble-man in Coventry England. She was an idealist, where even the very poorest among the townsfolk could live and earn in peace. Her idealist veil was gradually taken from her when she saw her husband who she believed to be an honest and true man was gradually increasing the taxes in the land, little by little the taxes raised and soon she feared the poorest among their subjects would starve for her husband's actions._

 _The young women went to her husband advising him to lower the taxes among the people as the poorest among them were starving._

 _Her Husband, nods somewhat in agreement but tells her that men must be taxed else they would grow unrulily and try to take the power he had as a noble man directly from him. "No my love," he'd say to her "Do you not know that the same tax which you speak of pays for your jewels and fine clothing?"_

 _"I don't care for such things." She objected and continued in vain to stand up for their townsfolk._

 _The husband laughed but made a pact "If thou carest so much for the folksman here's what you need to do."_

 _The husband was serious about the pact he would keep his side if she kept hers, only he didn't think his wife would._

 _Afterall, what respectable women would shed all her jewels and clothes and mount a horse naked and ride from one side of town to the other?_

 _I was still very young when I heard the story of Lady Godiva riding through the streets of Coventry the implications lost on me, but as I grew and reflected on the story I have to wonder, has anything really changed from 12_ _th_ _century Britain?_

 _If a women stands up for her right to vote, she is asked 'what respectable lady does that?'_

 _If a women stands up for her right to own land, she is asked 'what respectable lady does that?'_

 _If a women stands up for her right for an education she is asked 'what respectable lady does that?'_

 _If a women wants to be heard, what is respectable?_

 _…. (Story continues)_

Andy smiled at the paper fondly. It had been a while since he had heard Jane's voice, but he could hear her in her writing, he took a breath and said it again "Oh Jane, my highly improbable girl, don't ever change." He whispered. He took his scissors and cut the piece from the paper and took out an album flicking through it you would see every single article written in the Redmond Review by Jane Shirley he smiled fondly at the paper smoothing it down. Yes he had seen the original, yes it was in the album, but this, _this_ was in the New York Times!

He put the album away under his bed, he knew one day he would need to get rid of the album, but that day hadn't come, not quite yet.


	19. Trauma

**Hi all,**

 **So I have an apology to make to CatieGirl, you asked me a question about something you know will happen in the near future of this story and I told you that I wouldn't tell you it would happen with Anne... Well technically I didn't lie because I didn't tell you it would happen... I'm sorry!**

 **I'm so glad you all enjoyed the catch up with Andy last week and we all love Andy... TRUST me very soon we'll see more of him... lovely wonderful Andy!**

 **love Carrots**

* * *

Gilbert rushed into the room as Anne screamed again. "Sweetheart I'm here its okay now." He said quietly to her, barely noticing the nurse in the room.

"Gilbert something's wrong, something's not right, I… arghh!" she screamed again.

"She claims there's been something wrong since she was barely 4cms." The nurse said arrogantly. "I told her it was nothing to…"

"4cms?!" Gilbert exclaimed looking at the women. "You ignored her?" he asked.

"All women think labour pain is…"

"This isn't her first time!" Gilbert almost screamed at the nurse. "Get out!" he demanded.

"What?!" the nurse said in shock.

"If you ignore a woman who has given birth five times before I have no use of you, leave!" he demanded he glared at her until she left the room.

Just then Bertha called up the stairs "Gilbert?" she questioned.

"Bertha we're up here." He called. "Anne I need you to lie down, I need to exam you sweetheart."

"Something's not right." She squirmed.

"I know sweetheart, that's why I need to examine you."

Bertha had taken the children out for the day to allow Anne to relax and had taken them to their nearest next door neighbours the Meredith;'s where they were all playing now.

Anne lay on the bed as Gilbert examined her. "Oh sweetheart you're at 9cms already. I can see him, I can't do anything about the pain right now."

"Something's not right." She whispered to Gilbert as her mother entered the room.

"Anne!" she exclaimed cling beside her daughter. "Gil.." She said helplessly looking at her son in law.

"Its too late, she too far along we have to get this baby out then I can deal with whatever is causing the additional pain."

"Mama…" she cried looking at her mother. "Please take care of my babies and Gil he needs looking after."

"Don't talk like that Anne." She whispered to her daughter. "You are strong and capable, you will get through this." She ended as another wave hit her daughter.

"That's it Anne sweetheart push!" he told her. "Come on Anne you can do this!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" she tried. "Gil…" She said. He came around to her side for a moment. "You have to re-marry." She told him.

"No, No I won't, I won't loose you now!" he told her. Bertha could see he was trying to hold back the tears looking strong for her daughter. "I didn't find you to only have you for fifteen years." He whispered.

"Our babies need a mama!" she cried.

"They have a mama and I'm going to keep the one I have if you don't mind?" he asked her.

"Gil, please!" she squirmed.

"No!" he protested stroking her forehead again. "I won't lose you." He whispered.

She started to push again crying as she went.

"We're nearly there Anne!" Gilbert called. "His heads out now one more push and I'll have him." He told her. It didn't take long for another contraction to hit her as Gilbert held his son in his arms he looked at her "You were right!" he proclaimed. "Another boy!" he smiled for a second before he knew something else was wrong.

"Gil…" she whispered. Gilbert handed the baby to Bertha and looked in worry as more blood came from Anne. He reached for his doctors bag, his own hands already covered in blood from the birth he stroked in her hair.

"I won't lose you." He told her.

"I love you…" She whispered as she lost consciousness.

* * *

It wasn't until 12 hours later Bertha entered into the room. Anne lay pale on the bed, Gilbert knelt beside the bed his hand wrapped around hers his head down over their hands. Everything around them was covered in blood, but thankfully they had been prepared for that with the birth. Bertha was scared to speak at first as she approached her son in law "Gil?" she asked him.

He looked up to his mother in law, his eyes saw from crying and no sleep, Bertha couldn't tell which. "I could still lose her." He croaked looking back to his wife.

Bertha sighed in half relief "You haven't yet." She said quietly sitting beside him on the floor.

"I found the haemorrhage fixed it but…" he broke down into tears "She had already lost a huge amount of blood. All this might have been in vain yet." He whispered as Bertha put her arm around him as the two cuddled for a second.

"Come on…" she said handing the baby to Gilbert. "Your son." She whispered to him.

Gilbert looked to the baby and in a confused state chuckled for a moment. "He's perfect." He whispered gazing on him for a minute then popped the child in the nook of his mother's arm. "Can you see Anne?" he asked her gently "Our baby." He wept out as Bertha held him in a hug again. "I can't lose her, I might have been too late!" he cried. "I can't lose her I can't… What if I lose your daughter?!" he cried.

"Then she would have been loved by the very best of men." Bertha cried her own tears coming to the surface "…and you will still be _my_ son."

"That, stupid nurse!" he exclaimed. "She should have listened to Anne." He whispered. He took a sigh and looked at Bertha, "Anne, wants to come home." He said to her looking at her seriously for a moment. "So we can be closer. I was thinking, after this, if she gets better…"

"When she gets better." Bertha insisted.

Gilbert's lips upturned into a smile for a moment remembering the days of old when Anne would tell him 'not if… when' "…when she gets better, we could come back to Charlottetown. It would take a while to establish a practice…"

"…it's a wonderful idea!" Bertha exclaimed. "We'll help, we all will, you can have the guest bedroom with Anne and the babies can sleep upstairs in the bedrooms to start with." Bertha looked at him in earnest "we miss you." She said softly.

"It will have another upside." Gilbert said to her.

"Oh?" Bertha asked.

"Well, when we send them off to Queen's we'll be that little bit closer." He said with a shrug. "I can't believe my parents found the strength to let go."

Bertha smiled "Joy is only nine!" she exclaimed.

"And I see the way the little boys follow her around." He said suspiciously to which Gilbert shook his head looking to Anne "I'd go to the gates of hell for her." He whispered. "I'd give everything back, if only to save her."

Bertha looked at him seriously for moment "yes you would." She took a sigh and told him "but you know I think you being a doctor helped in this situation, you know Anne, so you didn't give up, even when you weren't sure on if you would be too late or not."

He sighed heavily and started crying again into Bertha who held her close sharing his tears.


	20. The unfamiliar familiar

"So how does it feel?" Bertha said with a smile to Jane, it was six months later by the time Gilbert had decided Anne well enough to travel and with it he loaded their belongs a couple of days prior and sent them to Charlottetown while he his wife and six children went by buggy across PEI. When they had arrived at the Shirley's, Gilbert had been careful of Anne and lifted her with care to the bedroom which was once the guest bedroom downstairs. It had suddenly became alive again at Rosebud, with the young children playing five of the Shirley's still living at home in the holidays and Gilbert and Anne, the house seemed bursting at the seams. 'Bursting with love' Bertha said kindly not wanting to upset her daughter. "Miss Jane Shirley BA honours?" she asked her as they sat one early summers day out on the veranda. Jane had picked up her cross stitch and Bertha her book and they had been sitting quietly out on the veranda in the early morning before anyone else was really up.

"I feel as though, I've worked so hard towards this end goal and I have it, I've achieved it but as soon as it was in my hands I felt a little underwhelmed by it."

"Underwhelmed?!" Bertha exclaimed "Jane Shirley do you know how few women get to do what you've done?"

"Oh, I don't mean it in a bad way, but maybe…" she said her eyes dazing out into the garden for a moment, "Maybe there is just something grander around the corner." She smiled. She looked up and smiled at her mother. "

"I've been offered a job mama." She said quietly.

"Oh?" Bertha asked.

" _The Daily Advocate_ out in Stamford, Connecticut." She said quietly. "They saw my piece in the New York times and is always looking for talent, they admitted they loved the fact I was Canadian, apparently the Gillespie brothers who own the paper are Canadian themselves, It would only be for a year to start with but wouldn't that be something, to have more pieces to my name, it wouldn't just be feminism but all kinds of politics, but I think that's grand." She smiled softly and dreamily "I don't mean not to settle down you know." She said to her mother "It's just I mean to do things in the meantime, I can't think of anything more I would like to do then to write about something I'm passionate about for a living."

Bertha smiled "Then take the job." She said. "There's nothing better than doing something you love for a living."

"But, it'll mean being away from the island for more time." She sighed. "My family are here." She whispered softly.

Bertha looked at her softly "And we'll still be here when you get back." She whispered.

"Can I go and visit Mary today?" she asked her mother "I am dying to see her and my four little babies." She said. "I get to spend so little time with them."

"Bring Mary home with you." Bertha said wide eyed at her daughter, "I want to see my babies!" she exclaimed.

* * *

It was six hours later Jane came home with the children and Mary in tow. She walked passed Walt who was speaking to someone she didn't recognise at the garden gate. She smiled politely thinking the man was rather handsome, bid them good day, but didn't think on it as she walked up the path to her mother. "I've had the most glorious day!" she exclaimed to her mother as she stood beside her and gave her mother a kiss on head, as all the grandchildren greeted Bertha then ran to find their cousins in the back yard Mary joined with Gilbert, Anne and Bertha on the veranda. Jane smiled as Anne stood and passed her on the way through the house. "Do you need help?" She asked her older sister.

"I'm fine." Anne said breezily but carefully made her way through the house.

Gilbert who had been sitting next to Anne rolled his eyes "Don't take it personally." Gilbert told Jane. "She's far too independent." He said with a lopsided grin to her handing Jane Baby Shirley.

"I believe in another time and place I could have been a very good mama." She said looking to the baby and smiling. In way of return he was all smiles for Jane.

"There's still time yet baby Jane." Her mother smiled to her as she remained standing looking down the garden at her brother and the unknown stranger he were talking to.

"Who is that?" She finally asked out of curiosity of the stranger.

"Whose who?" Bertha asked her looking up and down the garden.

Jane laughed "Whose Who?" She continued to giggle. "That!" she exclaimed, "You're staring right at him mother, the man talking to Walt?"

Bertha looked at her daughter as if she were crazy which Jane found really very odd.

"Have a closer look, do you not recognise him?" Gilbert said to her his own eyes sparkling like he was playing a game with her taking the babe back in way of telling her to go closer to the stranger.

Jane looked again at the man who was now looking directly at her "Do I know him?" She asked slowly.

She walked to the end of the veranda still looking at the man who had blushed away shyly looking at Walt now and talking to him, but there was something about him, now she looked properly, that looked awfully familiar. She went down the steps still looking at the man and tried to analyse what it was she knew about him. He was above her height, at five foot seven she wasn't small but he was at least six foot. She stepped closer to them still looking at the man. He was broad and tanned like a farm boy but she knew he couldn't be he was too well dressed for that even on the clear day it was clear from the weave of his shirt that it was a fine one. She stepped closer still, his shirt was a long sleeved one but was rolled up to his elbows revealing very brown and very toned skin beneath it. A few steps closer she saw that the tan appeared to be the same on his face which was the most familiar thing about him. His lips were plump, bigger than the average mans but behind them were the most straight and beautiful teeth Jane had ever seen. Ever closer she could look at him better now, his eyes were the colour of the ocean, sparkling a blue on a warm day, his hair which was chestnut brown was kept back lightly with a little oil his hair off his face the sides were short and kept well. But something about him was so familiar, as he looked again as she came to them the veil dropped from her mind as she recognised him. He wasn't a stranger at all, she knew him, she knew him so well! How could she have mistaken him for anyone else. The words played on her lips for a second before they burst "Andy?!" She gasped.

His lips upturned into a sweet smile, the one which had always greeted her she was in no doubt about the handsome man's identity now. Her blood was pounding through her veins so loudly she thought she was going to faint as he gently greeted her "Hello Jane."


	21. ANDY!

Jane couldn't believe it!

"Andy!" she exclaimed out loud again. She couldn't find the words! The change had been so dramatic all that fumbled out of her mouth was "Where are your glasses!?"

Walter burst out laughing as he saw his sister internally cringe at her exclamation. Andy tried to hide the smile but as he looked at her his smile upturned to show his little dimples in his cheeks. "The eye doctor at Yale examined me second year after I started getting headaches when I was wearing my glasses and discovered I didn't need them, did Walter not tell you I didn't wear them anymore?" he asked.

Jane looked at Andy wide eyed, his eyes playing as they always did with her. "I didn't recognise you." She said quietly. "You've changed."

"Have I?" he asked her not sure what she meant.

"You… you…" Jane tried then blurted again "You're wider!"

At this, it was time for Walter to continue laughing, he could feel the shock in Jane's system, she immediately snapped out of her daze and shoved Walter.

"Don't have a go at me!" he exclaimed in jest. "I don't care how tall dark and handsome my friends get." Walter teased her with a wink to Andy he jumped off the fence where he'd been sitting and ran up to the house as Jane turned several shades of pink right there.

Andy smiled his dimples showing before he said "Rowing."

"Sorry?" Jane asked him.

"Well I got wider when I was rowing, I was part of the rowing team remember?" he asked her.

"Oh yes!" Jane exclaimed. "of course."

"I prefer the phrase 'broader'" he responded.

"Broader!" she exclaimed. "Yes that's it that's the word I was looking for."

He chuckled "I've out worded a wordsmith?" he questioned her.

"Well, its that fancy Yale degree you have." She finally teased him "you leave us mere college graduates look bad."

He laughed "but they couldn't teach me to write as you do Jane." He said with a hint of admirability to his voice "somethings you just can't teach."

She smiled and blushed at the compliment. She finally was able to look him in the eye. "You've grown to be a very handsome young man." She told him.

It was his turn to smile shyly at the compliment. "Thank you." He said quietly.

"So, you got like this from rowing?" she asked him.

"Um, yeah. Well exercise and growing from a boy into a man" He said with a shrug. "Do you like it?" he flirted.

A feeling in Jane's stomach flipped and she breathed in deeply blushing. "Mr Watson." She said trying her best to avoid the schoolgirl giggle which was surfacing " _When_ did you learn to _flirt_?"

He chuckled at her "well they say a good education is a well-rounded education." He shrugged.

She looked to him shocked "But Yale isn't coed?"

Andy laughed. "Well being part of a fraternity means occasionally women would show up, and you know we did go out into public every once in a while." He smiled standing closer to her deliberately before he raised his eyebrows playfully at her.

"Oh." She said shaking her head. "Of course."

He stood back and looked at her seriously again. "I'll confess now Jane, I am sorry." He told her.

"Sorry?" she asked him.

"About your fiancé, well, your fiancé this time last year." He said.

Jane shook her head. "No." she insisted, "truly" she told him. "He was a slimebag, I didn't see it."

He smiled "Slimebag?" he asked her.

"Yes, slimebag and I'd rather not talk about him."

"No." He agreed "But I bet you haven't really talked about how much it hurt you either."

She looked him in the eye. "I can't, Anne and Gil…" she whispered.

"I know." He nodded. "Walt filled me in." he said to her. "It hurt them, but I bet it hurt you too and you haven't said out of respect and love for them."

She took a breath as she looked away "It doesn't matter." She said quietly.

"It does to me." He said. "Tell you what…" he said to her looking up at the veranda and the small audience they seemed to have gathered "I'm going to go up and ask your mother if I can take you for a walk…" he smiled "…and then in the deepest darkest part of the wood you can tell me…" he continued then took her hand in his "…all of your secrets." He whispered.

Her heart leapt and she felt a flutter go through her as she nodded her head.

* * *

"So this makes this…?" Gilbert questioned Walt the following Saturday as he watched Andy and Jane 'go walking' again, this time he noticed down towards the harbour.

"the sixth time this week." Walter (Senior) said looking after them. A grin appeared on Gilbert's face at this.

"I think I'm going to have to let go of another one of my daughters." He said with a sad sigh.

"Your daughters choose well." Gilbert observed "Especially your eldest." He teased.

Walter laughed. "Yes I suppose they do have exceptional tastes." he said dryly. "What do you make of Andy?" Walter asked Gilbert.

Gilbert looked to Walter amazed. "We've known him since they were six years old, you know him just as well as I do. Better I think, since I've not lived here for a while."

"He worships Jane." Walter admitted quietly. "Or at least he did growing up," Walter took a deep breath "but I fear for him."

"Fear?!" Gilbert asked completely flummoxed by what Walter was saying.

"Yes, fear." Walter confirmed. "I fear that Jane's feelings, however fond of him she is, will one day realise that he may have got tall dark and handsome, but it is the same Andy underneath it. I'm scared her feelings will not match his and he will end up with a broken heart all over again."

Gilbert took a deep breath and looked at Walter. "What if her feelings run deeper than that? Have you seen the way she looks at him?"

"Looks!" Walter exclaimed. "Exactly."

"Walter!" Gilbert exclaimed "Come on its not like that."

"What if it is?" Walter asked. "Trev and Roy, she doesn't look very deep."

Gilbert swallowed and looked his father in law in the eye "I think she's learned her lesson." Gilbert said quietly.

Walter sighed "You're too soft on her Gilbert."

"And you're too hard." Gilbert objected quickly.

Walter nodded his head and looked at him "probably."


	22. Absence makes the heart grow fonder

**We have Andy back again! Oh I'm so glad we've all missed him!**

 **Catie: yes! Wider! indeed! Lol! I wanted the wordsmith to be completely flummoxed!**

 **oldmoviewatcher: "You're too soft on her." "You're too hard." were my favourite lines too! They fit in so well with the rest of the story!**

 **OriginalMcFishie: Andy is perfect! End of. I think his only rival for that title is Gilbert...**

* * *

Jane smiled at Andy. He'd been telling her some of his misadventures as a first-year medical student. Most mornings had been rushed barely making the tram in time into town. How some days he couldn't remember if he had eaten that he had settled into being the president of his fraternity.

Jane had listened. Throughout the time they sat with their picnics she had been amazed at the man in front of her. After the initial shock of seeing how much Andy had changed, she looked at him now, she couldn't remember him not looking like he currently did. Yes, his physical appearance had changed drastically but as it had always been with Andy, once his shy guard had faded, his soul shone through.

"Jane?" He questioned her looking at her as she seemed to gaze into the distance. "Are you okay?"

"Um?" She answered as she came out of her world. "Yes, of course I am Andy. Sorry." She told him. She smiled at him "So it seems that maybe I could have been right… about you going to Yale, you seem to have found yourself there."

He took a sigh and lay back on the picnic blanket "Maybe." He admitted. "I just wish the holidays weren't either skiing up some mountain during the Christmas holidays and away some place with my family in the summer, or shadowing your brother in law or…" he trailed.

"Why did you not come back last summer?" she asked him suddenly.

His face dropped and suddenly he changed back to the shy boy she had once known. "Oh." He said quietly. "I had an opportunity to shadow a doctor at the hospital ready for…"

"No the real reason." She interrupted.

"Jane," he said quietly deliberately avoiding eye contact.

"Look at me." She asked of him.

"I can't." he said blushing profusely.

"I haven't seen you in five years." She started quietly.

"I know…" he said quietly.

"Was it your parents were they taking you away? Did they not want you near me?" she asked.

He paused for a moment in thought then to comfort her said "no of course not."

She swallowed and looked into his eyes "I missed you." She whispered.

"Really?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She confirmed. "Really."

"Why did you stop writing to me then?" he asked her quietly.

She blushed slightly "I didn't think it was right for me to be writing to you when I was engaged to someone else, then after, I was too embarrassed to start writing to you again."

"I wouldn't care about that!" he objected.

"I did!" she exclaimed. "I was so embarrassed to be taken in all over again!" she exclaimed tears gathering in her eyes. "You'd think I'd learn from Trev, even he's all settled now." She said frustrated standing up she started pacing "He patched things up he's fixed it he and his wife have a son and they are happy, and what do I do? I'm still so messed up! I refuse!" she stomped. "I won't do it again, I won't fall in love because it just leads to heartache!" she cried. He stood up next to her and brought her into his arms.

"You've brought a curse upon the world Jane Shirley." He whispered to her in her tears. "For Jane Shirley not to love…" he trailed putting his fingers under her pointed chin "…you deprive it of something wonderful." He took a breath and whispered to her "You needn't give up on love Jane." He told her. "You just need to find someone who appreciates you, for who you are, who knows you all and who will never give up on you, who will never lose hope, who loves you for being you. Because you are wonderful!" he whispered.

She cuddled into his chest crying letting his arms encircle her. As she started to calm she looked up to him green eyed and whispered "you see," she told him. "I really could have done with you here when I made my decision." She told him. "I'm sorry Andy." She continued "you owe me no explanation."

He patiently took her home two hours later dropping her off at the veranda. He asked Bertha if he could take her walking again after church tomorrow to which is smiled and told him of course he could and he headed home.

* * *

Andy stood outside his father's study. It had taken him several attempts since he got home to get to this stage, each time deciding it was a bad idea but yet, there he stood. He took a couple of deep breaths before he knocked on the door.

"Come in." he heard from inside the study. He opened the door and closed it behind him before he turned to see his father at the desk. "Its alright sweetheart just leave it on the table." His father said, clearly expecting his mother.

"Alright honey, just don't leave it too long." Andy joked causing his father to look up.

"Andrew!" he exclaimed. "Son come in!" he said. "Sorry I was just reading Scientific America." He said "Have you read this month's yet?" he asked him.

"No not yet." Andy admitted.

"Well you should, some gripping stuff in there." He said with a smile to his son. Andy looked solemn the look on his face told his father something was going through his head. "Andrew?"

"Why have you kept me away from the island?" he asked his father. The question hung in the air for a few moment as a look on his father's face told Andy he was right. "Skiing trips every winter…" Andy started.

"We've always done that."

"Then adventuring across the world, have we always done that too?" he asked his father.

"You've been old enough to really appric…." He started.

"Don't pretend father!" he exclaimed and looked at his dad seriously.

"You wouldn't understand!" his father exclaimed.

"Oh no, I think I understand perfectly." He counterargued. "You've been keeping me away from Jane." His father gave a heavy sigh which confirmed it for Andy. "But why?!" he exclaimed "she's from a perfectly respectable family…"

"Its not her family we have issue with." His father said.

To which Andy's head shot up. "What possible problem would you have with Jane!?" he asked.

His father chuckled before answering "She was out on motorbikes at sixteen up at Far Point…" he trailed. "We knew Walt wasn't like that or Bertha and all her older brothers and sisters are good we like them and we like Bertha and Walter but…" he trailed.

"Damn you!" Andy exclaimed his hand hitting the table in front of him.

"We thought you were better off at Yale." His father tried to defend "You've liked it there…" he trailed.

"It was Jane who convinced me to try it in the first place!" Andy exclaimed his voice getting louder. "Did you know that! She told me not to pass up opportunities…" he started.

"Well then at least she gave you some good advice!" His father said is voice raised too.

"She never had sex with any of them!" Andy exclaimed loudly.

"And who told you that!" His father quipped back. "Of course, she isn't going to tell you the truth!" his father exclaimed. "You, who trailed after her your whole life!"

"She doesn't lie!" Andy exclaimed. "In all of it, in her worse moments, she's never lied!" Andy argued with his father. "Why would she need to lie to me?"

"Because you were the little, weaker backup plan to her!" his father exclaimed. "And it broke your heart Andrew and I couldn't bear to see it! You deserve to be someone's first choice! Why do you think I got you involved with Yale and my Frat? So you'd realise there is more to the world then Jane Shirley!"

"Then you've failed miserably in your quest then haven't you!" Andy shouted.

His father looked to his son completely wordless. "Its been five years!"

"semper in absentes felicior aestus amantes." He quoted in Latin

His father looked to him unbelievably. "Andrew." He whispered.

"Don't!" Andy exclaimed. "I have to get out of here." He whispered leaving not just the study but walking out the house.

 _* "passion is always warmer toward absent lovers." Sextus Propertius, who died in A.D. 2. A possible root of the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.'_


	23. Book of Revelation

**Hi All!**

 **Thanks ever so much for following this I love other people love this, I keep saying it but it is amazing to me!**

 **So as you might guess this a Jane's book of revelation, because we all need one... apparently!**

 **I want to answer some of your comments now... I'm I'm afraid it'll give away the plot now!**

 **love Carrots x**

* * *

Jane had busied herself entertaining her niece and nephews. The boys had been enchanted by her needlework watching her as she did a cross stich. So, she sat them and Joy down and was teaching them to do some simple patterns, the boys seemed to like to use the needles to stab the fabric rather than create an actual pattern but it made Jane laugh. Gilbert had been watching on the sideline drinking his tea with Walter senior before the telephone rang. Gilbert went to it answering it.

"Hello? Shirley residence?" Gilbert answered the phone. There was a pause. "Hello Mr Watson." Gilbert greeted, Jane looked over out of intrigue as to why Mr Watson could possibly be calling before Gilbert's mouth dropped in shock. "No of course!" Gilbert said. "I'll be right over." Gilbert said looking slightly panicked. "Joy, go and get daddy's doctor's bag?" he asked his daughter who willing dropped what she was doing and went.

"Gil?" Jane asked a horrible feeling entering the pit of her stomach. "Why did Mr Watson call?" she asked.

Gilbert swallowed before the words came out "Andy was crossing the road…" he started "when he was knocked over…" Gilbert trailed, a terrible look coming across Jane's face. "…by some motorcycles." He finished in a whisper.

Jane physically dropped where she stood, A cry of "No!" in protest to the news passing her lips as she fell.

Gilbert and Walter running to her side. "Jane?" Gilbert questioned her as he got to her making her look up at him.

"How bad?!" She said the tears forming quickly in her eyes.

"He's unconscious." Gilbert whispered. "That's why they need me." Gilbert said quietly. "Their family doctor is out of town, I was the only person they could think of." He said watching as she started to cry silently. "I'll take care of him." Gilbert told her but within seconds he could see it wasn't enough. "Jane?" he questioned.

"I… I…" She whispered, the words so close to her mouth she was afraid to say them. "Gil…" she whispered.

"Maybe…" Gilbert trailed quietly. "Maybe I'll need a nurse for this visit." Gilbert said taking pity on her. She suddenly felt the strength in her legs and she stood up with Gilbert's help "You'll need a full-length apron." He told her as she ran for the closest.

Walter looked at his son in law took a deep breath "She loves him." He said quietly so the children couldn't hear.

"Yes…" Gilbert whispered back. "She does."

Walter's head nodded for a moment before he swallowed "Let's hope it's not too late."

* * *

They left the house and made their way over to the Watsons where Jane stood in front of the gate for a moment. Gilbert looked back and looked at her "Baby sister?" he asked her.

She shook her head "What will I do?" she whispered. "What if I lose him?" she whispered. "I don't know who I would be without him!" she exclaimed. "I've been drifting endlessly for _so_ long! It was Andy who was my compass he knows me and he… and what if he dies and I never get to tell him how I care?" she said tears. "I love him…" she whispered. "I love him I love…"

He wrapped his arms around her "Its okay." He whispered. "Its okay." He said again after a few moments of her sobbing. "Janey, come on, I promise you, I will not let him die. You will get to tell him." He whispered.

"You promise me big brother?" she asked.

"I swear it." He said as he pulled back. "But Janey, we need to get in there for me to help." He reminded her.

She wiped away her tears then he whispered "You ready Nurse Shirley?" he asked her, putting his hand out for her to take to which her lips upturned for a moment, she took it and nodded. "Good come on." He said continuing their walk to the door and knocked on the door as Jane composed herself.

"Doctor Blythe." He was greeted as they entered the house "Thank you for coming on such short…" he slowed as he noticed Jane with him "What?" his father asked.

"Jane is shadowing me as my nurse for the summer." Gilbert lied.

"Oh."

"Don't worry its no extra charge." Gilbert assured him.

Mr Watson looked concerned for a moment but soon snapped out of it. "Of course." He agreed.

"Where's Andy?" Gilbert asked.

"we put him up in his room, I hope that's alright?" His father asked him.

"Of course." Gilbert agreed. "Best place to have him comfortable."

Jane was lost for a moment as they entered his bedroom. The room itself was much as she always imagined it would be. The room was an unusual egg blue colour and the walls were paneled but she liked it. She looked round the room for a moment it was filled with little things which he'd described over the last four years on his desk was a pile of medical books and two rowing trophies along with a waterfall of paper sprawled across the writing area. On his wall was a picture of him on front of a house, what Jane assumed was his fraternity house, another with his rowing team, one with Andy hold a trophy which now occupied the desk. Jane stopped suddenly as she came across a picture she recognised from when she was eight years old. Willis had taken it at hers and Walt's eighth birthday party. The picture was meant to be of Walter and Andy, one of the few things he had asked for was a picture of him and Andy (his best friend) and Jane had insisted on being in on the picture. Walt's little eight-year-old face strained a smile but Andy had stood between the two twins his, she had asked Anne to put her hair in rags the night before resulting in her hair being in ringlets that day. Jane smiled at the picture, she couldn't quite believe Andy had kept it, Walt had the one of him and Andy (eventually) standing alone together.

"Jane?" Gilbert called behind her. She turned and immediately remembered why it was she was there, the shock hit her again that he was hurt but she looked to Gilbert for what she should do.

"Do you have water boiling Mr Watson?" Gilbert asked him.

"Um, yes." He acknowledged.

"Good." Gilbert said. "Right first off let's see how bad that graze is to his head. Jane if you could put aside some of that water and wash your hands properly, set some aside for me and bring it here then go straight back for the rest and bring it here and then get the dressing from my doctor's bag." He said calmly.

Jane nodded and moved swiftly through the house to get the items.

"Has he woken at all?" Gilbert asked Mr Watson.

"Yes, he comes and goes." Mr Watson said.

"Well, that's better than not at all." Gilbert admitted. He opened his bag and took out his ophthalmoscope examining Andy's eyes for a moment and then did the same for the other "Good, he said quietly "his eyes are responding as normal." He said quietly before putting the ophthalmoscope back and reaching for his otoscope and checking in his ears. "Even better." Gilbert said with a sigh "No other bleeding I can see." He confirmed as Jane came in the room with the first set of water.

"Jane…" He started.

"Yes I know I'm bringing a pot up to put on the fire up here." Jane said her eyes rolling.

"Good girl." Gilbert said with a smile to her.

* * *

It only took her a couple of minutes before she was cleaning the wound in his hair.

Mr Watson watched Jane intensely Gilbert had stepped out to clean his hands. He sat on the end of his son's bed still watching her. There he looked at the concentrated look on Jane's face and asked "What are you Jane?" he asked her.

She flinched for a moment before she continued working on the wound. "Right now, I am a nurse attempting to help your son." She said quietly.

There was silence in the room before he spoke again "he never stopped believing in you, you know." He told her.

Jane's eyes faulted as they started to fill with tears "I know." She whispered.

"What spell did you cast on him?" he asked her.

Jane looked at him wide eyed and wordless and Mr Watson clenched his jaw and said to her "even after all these years, five years we've kept him away praying he would meet someone at university who would break the spell you cast on him."

"I'm not a witch." She whispered.

"No?" he asked. "Then I ask again after everything, after you going up to far point and flirting with…"

"I'm no _whore_ Mr Watson!" she protested.

"Aren't you?" he asked, she stood up and started walking away. "I never argue with my son Miss Shirley." Mr Watson told her, she turned and looked at him a tear welling in her eye "I've never needed to, he's been an easy child in too many ways." He stopped for a moment before he looked at Andy. "Except this afternoon." He said plainly. "He came into my study and he knew I was trying to keep him away from you, he would never have asked before, I don't think it would occur to him, I couldn't deny it and you understand your history…"

"I know what I am Mr Watson." Jane whispered.

"Then you understand what concerns me about this match?" he asked her.

"Match?" Jane questioned and shook her head "Andy wasn't interested in me." She said quietly.

Mr Watson looked at her disbelievingly but saw she was quite serious. "First argument I've ever had with my son was over you." He said quietly "and he left the house, I was in no doubt he was coming to see you." Mr Watson told her not looking at her.

"He…" Jane trailed, "he was on his way to see…" her bottom lip quivered "..m..m…me!" she sobbed. "I'm sorry Mr Watson…" she trailed turning away and stepping forwards she tripped over an album stumping her toe. "Ouch!" she exclaimed picking it up the book falling open her eyes widen at what she saw. She flipped the pages to find every single one of her articles. "He…" she looked amazed at the book then up at Mr Watson who was slowly standing up "he kept all of them?" she whispered, her eyes finally spilling the tears she had tried so hard to hold back.

Mr Watson looked at her again and he saw something to his amazement "You are, aren't you?" he asked her. "You're innocent in all this?" he asked her. "Jane?" he questioned.

"He… **_loves_** me?" She questioned.

Mr Watson swallowed and came to a slow revelation the same rate Jane was coming to her own revelation.

"He loved me all along?" she said in complete amazement barely above a whisper. "Through everything, university and Trev!" she exclaimed. She sat on the edge of the bed holding the book to her breast.

Mr Watson came around and looked at her. "You _really_ didn't know?" Mr Watson asked her. She shook her head and he sat quietly beside her. They were silent for a minute before Mr Watson looked at Jane tears slipping down her face silently. "He was right wasn't he?" he asked Jane "You never did anything with that boy?" Mr Watson asked her not really expecting an answer. "Jane I'm sorry for what I just said there…" he started.

"No its okay." She whispered. "I deserve your mistrust." She said quietly.

Mr Watson looked to her in amazement.

"Oh I have some truly spectacular idiotic things Mr Watson and I am not proud of them." She said quietly.

"You should be Janey." A small and weak voice came from Andy. Both Jane and Mr Watson jumped up and turned to him.

"Andy!" Jane exclaimed tears still in her eyes.

"Don't cry Janey." He whispered. "its much worse then it looks." He said with a weary look in his eye trying to sit up.

"Don't move Andy." She told him putting her hand on his chest for a moment keeping him down. "You've been in and out of consciousness you better stay here." She whispered.

"Okay." He submitted quietly. "Jane." He whispered looking at her, she looked up into his eyes and they stayed there, their eyes locked and gazed into each other. "I'm _so_ proud of you." Andy said to her.

"Andy…"

"And everything you were, because its made you, _you_." He said weakly before he fell back into unconsciousness.

Mr Watson had seen the look which had past between them and he looked to Jane. He knew one thing if Jane didn't. They were in love with each other. "It seems Jane, I've been so terribly wrong." Mr Watson said quietly. "And I am sorry." He said quietly. "Forgive me?" he asked. Jane said nothing but nodded her head. "Thank you." He said. He took a breath and stood back. "I'd like to get to know you properly again Miss Shirley." He said finally realising it. "It's been quite some years since I have…" he looked up to Jane "and I'm awfully sorry for it." He stood up and said to her "You'll take care of him?" Mr Watson asked her. She again nodded. "Then that's all I need." He turned quietly and walked out the bedroom.


	24. My heart is revealed

**Greetings everyone!**

 **Busy busy day tomorrow so I'm uploading tonight**

 **My shout outs:**

 **OriginalMcFishie: It is very interesting Jane doesn't defend herself and I think this is a reflection of my personality. I know my weaknesses and when people point them out I don't try and defend, I know what and who I am, and I don't think its a case of low self esteem (although maybe in certain points it is) I think she knows herself at this point where she knows what it looked like to other people she's aware of it and she did give the impression that she was, so she can't defend it when people so easily accuse. I think as well its the fact its Andy's Dad.**

 **Catiegirl: You know who Andy is based on... Just think who his dad is based on...**

* * *

"Everything is how it should be Mr Watson." Gilbert said with a smile to the man as he entered his study.

"Good, very good Dr Blythe." Mr Watson agreed "You've done an outstanding job, honestly I don't think he would have got the care from our regular doctor." Mr Watson continued. "So how much do I owe you?" he asked Gilbert.

Gilbert stood for a moment and looked at Mr Watson. "I don't want the money." Gilbert said quietly.

"No come now I must pay you." Mr Watson tried to insist.

"I don't want the money, but I do have a proposition." Gilbert bartered.

"Oh?" he said taking his seat as Gilbert took one on the other side of the desk. "Intrigue, Doctor Blythe."

"Andy has been telling me how much he wants to come back to the island, and set up a practice here, in Charlottetown."

Mr Watson sighed. "Trust him to have it all planned out, he still has another three years!"

Gilbert smiled at Mr Watson. "I won't ask for physical payment for this, as far as I care Andy is family but I'd like to set up a practice with him, here in Charlottetown." Gilbert said quite boldly. "So I would like to bid an offer Mr Watson." Gilbert said with a deep breath. "You recommend our practice to family friends, spread the word, help us get established, the moment Andy leaves medical school he has his own practice with me, 50/50 on everything, the practice will be established by then with plenty of work to go around, with your help."

Mr Watson smiled at Gilbert much to his surprise. "Does Andy know?" he asked Gilbert.

"He's his own man, with him talking so much about a practice this close to the hospital I had to ask…" he admitted.

"And he's agreed?" Mr Watson asked.

"Yes." Gilbert agreed.

"Well it seems I have little say." Mr Watson admitted. "Andy rarely makes up his mind on anything, when he does he does. He made his mind up to be a doctor there was no stopping him, if he wants to set up a practice he'll damn well do it and of course there's…" he trailed then went quiet.

Gilbert looked up the words barely reaching his lips "Jane."

Mr Watson took a breath "I really thought I was doing what was best for him, keeping them apart." He said quietly. "I didn't know he was writing to her, sneaky miscreant." He said with a smile. "I was wrong about her, I've seen it over the past few days." He bit down on his bottom lip for a moment. "How I'm going to explain this to Martha is beyond me." He chuckled.

"Is she not on her way back from India by now?" Gilbert asked.

"I don't know if she even got the message about Andy, that'll be a nice surprise for her." He said sarcastically. He took a breath "as for your proposition Doctor Blythe." Mr Watson said with a smile to Gilbert "consider it a deal."

Gilbert smiled widely and put his hand out to Mr Watson to shake it.

* * *

Jane sat with her back to the old oak tree in the back garden. In the garden, she could hear all the life of the Shirley household and yet still hold her own thoughts. The window open she could hear Mary playing on the piano as in times of old, the back garden was occupied by all cousins alike and Uncles Thomas, Robert, and Walter playing with the children the younger children squealing with delight. Jane had her cross stitch in front of her now, she was ready to frame it very soon the stitch was for Walter and Emma, although their wedding wasn't until next summer when Walter would be finished university on the search for and Principalship.

She was so busy with her cross stitch and listening to Mary as she played she didn't hear the soft crunching of the grass behind her, nor did she notice the man as he stood behind her.

"That's one beautiful stitch Jane." He told her gently.

She looked over her shoulder and up in shock. "Andy!" she proclaimed jumping from her spot and turning towards him. "What are you doing out of bed? Does Gilbert know you're here?" she asked him.

"He better do, he just walked me here, he gave me a clean bill of health this morning." He said with a grin to her. "It's a shame you weren't there to see."

She blushed slightly looking away before she responded "I just wanted to know you were okay." She said quietly.

"Well I'm glad you did." Andy admitted taking her by the hand. Jane looked down at their hands his thumb caressing the back of her hand. "I was wondering if you'd care for a walk?" he asked her. "Gilbert showed me some cherry tress him and Anne used to go to, I thought you might find them pretty."

Jane smiled and looked up at him. "Yes please." She asked quietly. "Just let me put this away I'll be with you in a minute." She said picking up her cross stitch.

* * *

"Wow!" she exclaimed as they entered the grove of cherry trees. "I can see why they liked it here so much!" Jane exclaimed running to the blossoms and smelling them. "Oh aren't they beautiful!" she exclaimed.

Andy smiled and said with a cheeky glint "You know they fell asleep down here the last day of their exams at Queens, it was mid-afternoon and then Gilbert said before they knew it, it was six o'clock."

Jane looked at him wide eyed "Anne!?" she exclaimed in shock.

Andy chuckled "apparently you Shirley girls have the talent for scandal." He said with a cheeky smile.

"But… but…" Jane said confused "Anne's the perfect one!" she said in shock, then she shook her head and smiled with him. "Well maybe Bertha will avoid it."

Andy shook his head and smiled "For all your talk of feminism you don't half do yourself down Janey." He said quietly.

She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I try to be better. I try to stand for what should be my rights for what the world needs, feminism isn't just for females its for everyone…"

"I know this." He said with a smile to her taking her hands in his again his thumb stroking the back of her hand, the feeling silenced her fears.

She smiled at their hands and looked up. "I know you do." She admitted "you kept all my articles." She whispered.

"I know I did." He said to her a blush coming to his cheek.

"Why?" she asked him.

He took a deep breath and said to her "I don't know for sure, but I suspect it's a two fold thing." He said quietly.

"Oh?" she asked.

"I never stopped believing in you Jane." He said quietly. "it didn't matter where we were in life or what was happening or if you were engaged…" he said fighting a smile "or not… it mattered that I was so so proud of you and I believed in you." He whispered.

Tears pooled in her eyes "You don't know what that means to me." She whispered.

A smile played on his lips "Do you want to know the other reason?" he asked her. She nodded in her tears and his took another deep breath "Because I love you." He whispered.

She looked to him wide eyed for a moment before her arms wrapped around his neck as she sobbed there. Andy held her there close to him letting her cry. Many other men would be worried by this reaction but not Andy, he knew Jane, she needed to let out the frustration the pain the hurt. It was a good few minutes before she pulled back and looked at him "Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded as he brought out his handkerchief for her handing her it.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him as they took a seat under the cherry trees.

He looked to her and asked "Can I put my arm around you?" he asked her. To which she nodded. He wrapped his arm around her holding her again to him.

"How long?" she blurted. He looked at her confused for a moment before she clarified "How long have you loved me?" she asked him.

He took a breath and looked to his own knees and started slowly "You must have been in school a month so you knew what was popular to do and everyone, girls and boys alike wanted to work with you." He said quietly. "Then one day the teacher assigned a science project, something about the actions and reactions in physics, we had little wooden cars and we had to time them on a slant…" he trailed "….anyway you were picked first to choose a partner." He said quietly "I'd been at school for six months already, I knew I would never be the first one picked for anything, I was too slow for Physical education and I was the odd one the too smart one." He said "But everyone was lined up and you looked at the line and you ignored everyone else." he smiled and said as he did the action with his free hand "and you took my hand…" he smiled down as she looked at him in amazement "…and you said 'I pick you, you're a genius!'. No one had ever _picked_ me before… and, and for being smart." He said with a shake of the head.

"Andy!" she gasped. "We were six years old!"

"And I was in love." He said with a grin. "I became friends with Walter so I could get to spend more time with you." He admitted with a grin "though don't tell him that, he _is_ my best friend."

"Our secret." She said with a smile. "Since we were six?!" she said again.

"Jane?" he started.

"Yes?" she asked him.

"Would you like to court me?" he asked her. She looked at him wide eyed before he continued "I already asked your pap before I came out…"

"Yes." She whispered.

His jaw dropped before a smile went across his face "really?!" he exclaimed.

She smiled then giggled immediately after "yes please." She whispered.

He cleared his throat and blushed slightly "Can I ask if I might…" he started before Jane wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed into his lips. His hands froze in shock as her lips stayed on his. He slowly reacted one hand going to her waist bringing her in the other going to her hair. They pulled back for a moment as they both giggled in relief.

"Andy…" she whispered.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I've missed you." She told him.

"You don't say!" he exclaimed with a smile to her.

She giggled as she cuddled into the nook of his arm near his chest. She took a sigh and whispered "No one else's." she whispered.

"Sorry?" he asked.

She snapped out of her gaze and smiled at him "Mary once told me the first time she kissed Alex, she knew she belonged with him that she was never going to be anyone else's." She said intertwining her petite hand with his strong big hand "I didn't really understand until now." They sat in a happy silence wrapped in the feeling of each other for a few minutes before she said quietly. "I have a job you know." She said quietly "at least for the next year…." She teased lightly "At _The Daily Advocate_ out in Stamford." She said to him.

He looked at her in amazement. "Connecticut?!"

"No, England!" she exclaimed. "Yes Connecticut!"

He almost laughed in a relief "But that's only an hour from New Haven!" he exclaimed.

"You don't say!" she teased him. "I know this!"

He gasped in delight "I could see you!" he exclaimed. "I mean actually meet up we could spend our weekends together!"

She smiled softly "If you would like?" she offered him.

"I could take you to all my Yale things, dances and formals, Oh Jane you'd love it, and you could visit my Frat, Mrs Harrison will love you and she has her private rooms for visitors you could stay in the frat house without scandal!"

"And you could come with me to newspaper things?" she questioned him.

"You want me to?" he asked her.

"Yeah, Yeah I would." She confirmed.

"Oh Jane!" he exclaimed "Just having you so close takes such a weight off my mind!" he told her "we could travel back to the island together in the holidays." He said.

"You'll come back?" she questioned him.

He grinned at her "You know I will for certain, now I have an absolute reason to." He told her. "Try and stop me." He said. "Besides I believe one summer you were travelling across the US and another I only stayed away because I couldn't stand the thought of you being with someone else." He said gently.

She hugged back into him enjoying the feeling of being safe in his arm. It was a couple of minutes before she whispered to him "Andy?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

She paused before she said it, she felt the feeling rush through her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. The feeling galloping in her heart before she whispered to him "I love you too."


	25. Finding my place, by your side

Jane stepped off the train at New Haven and took a quick look around. From the other side of the platform she saw him. She smiled then blushed, even though there had barely been five days since they last saw each other she had missed his strong body his brown hair, even from this distance she could see his blue eyes shining across as his eyes clasped on hers. She squealed and jumped from the step and ran to meet him part way and their arms wrapped around each other.

"Hello beautiful." He whispered to her holding her close.

"Oh!" she exclaimed kissing him first on the cheek then on his lips quickly "How did I ever last almost five years without you!"

He chuckled in her hair then whispered "You have no idea." He pulled back and grinned at her giving her a small wink "I missed you too." They turned and walked down the platform arm in arm. " So how was your first week working at the newspaper?" he asked her.

"Oh its very interesting!" she admitted. "Have you ever been in a newsroom?" she asked him to which he shook his head "Oh you should! You'd love it, there's always such a buzz even when its quiet and everyone is writing their pieces." She smiled looking up at him "How about you? Mr Second year med school?" she said with a giggle with him.

"Gilbert warned it was a baptism of fire and he wasn't wrong! Back to back lectures in the morning and down in the hospital in the afternoons. Actual real-life case studies Jane!" he exclaimed lightly.

"You love it!" she smiled at him.

He chuckled. "I do. I can't help it! Is that insane?"

* * *

They arrived at the frat house and the boys all seemed to look curiously at Jane. Her brows furrowed at the realisation before on boy stepped forward.

"Welcome to the Frat Pack." He said with a grin to Jane. "Milady I am Ethan Wyle, you must be the reason our frat president has had a consent grin on his face since he came home from the island."

"Maybe he was just glad to have gone home." She said with a grin to him.

"I'll admit I did like being home but I do happen to enjoy courting you." He said kissing into her hair. A few of the younger members 'wooed' when he did. "Alright enough!" he said shaking his head. "Grand tour?" he asked Jane to which she nodded. "Gentlemen." He said with a nod. With that he took Jane around the house showing her the various rooms. Until he got to one door very high up in the house.

"Andy," she whispered "we must be…." She trailed.

"Going into the attic, my room is the attic room." He said with a swallow. "do you mind, if we go in?" he asked her "I'd love to show you my room." He told her.

"Okay." She agreed.

"I can get one of the boys to chaperone if you like?" he asked her.

"Oh you're so irresistible to me are you?" she laughed to which he joined.

"We're breaking about a dozen house rules." He grinned as he opened his door. Jane looked into the room before she took her foot and put it over the threshold of the door giggling as she did.

"You know how I like to break rules." She said with a giggle as she went inside the room.

Andy was too busy beaming to care what would happen if they got caught.

"So how come you get the attic room all the way up here by yourself?" she asked him looking around the room.

"President." He said with a shrug. "I get to pick." He said and he looked out the window in his room. "I can see for miles." He said looking out. "I love looking out over all the houses and the view..,"

She smiled. "Its inspiring!" in agreement.

She looked on the desk and saw a familiar set of glasses on the table. "You kept them?" she asked him picking them up and putting them on "Oh how come I can still see?" she asked before she turned to Andy "Oh!" she exclaimed as he was a big blur to her, she took the glasses off.

He grinned "I still need them for reading." He admitted quietly as she took the glass and started to put them on him "So unless you catch me rea…" he started before she pulled him in to her kissing him hotly on his lips. His arms flew out beside him in shock before he calmed himself and wrapped his arms around her hold her close to him.

She pulled back blushing "Sorry…" she whispered.

"Don't be." He said with a grin to which they both laughed "but why?" he asked her.

She looked up at him and played with his hair bringing it down on his forehead, he was confused as to what it was she was doing but still stood still watching her.

"You look more like him." She whispered, kissing his cheek.

"Who?" he asked.

"Andy." She whispered.

He physically laughed and looked at her sceptically. "I am Andy." He said to her.

"You changed," she whispered. "Physically so so much."

"No, I just finally hit manhood." He said to her.

"You're broader but, the glasses and the hair." She said playing with his hair again "Like this, you're more like the man I fell in love with."

He looked to her confused. "Jane it was only a few weeks ago…" he started confused.

She bit her bottom lip and looked serious for a moment "Do you really think I could have been wooed by a handsome face," she said quietly "if I hadn't fallen for the soul inside of him?" His blue eyes we wide beneath the glasses looking at Jane in amazement. She looked at him and gave a small chuckle before she reached for them again "You know I always thought your glasses magnified your eyes, I never believed they were really that big…" she said taking off the glasses "But they really are. Those beautiful big blue eyes." She whispered.

He swallowed and whispered "You were already in love with me?" he asked her. She giggled and bit her bottom lip and nodded. "When?!" he asked her.

"I don't know." She said with a shrug. Wrapping her arms back around his neck. "I suspect, I've always been in love with you, I just didn't know it." She looked up at him "I never let Trev make fun of you, not once, not in my presence." She said with a small kiss to his jaw "I called you a 'darling' and 'sweet' and I said you could stay in school, which was of course code for 'genius'." She said with a smile.

He closed his eyes and smiled "You were in love with me then."

"what are you doing?" she asked him.

"reassuring him." He whispered. "I know it's the past but he's still inside of me, so insecure, so afraid." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You were with those boys and I knew you Jane, I knew you better than anyone but I hated Trevor!"

"You did?" Jane smiled.

"He was taking away my Janey from me." He said with a shrug. "and sometimes I feel like him still, not just over you, I've barely had time for it but, little old insecurities…" he laughed and shrugged "I guess being a man was more difficult then I thought when there's a little boy inside of me screaming about not belonging…" he said quietly.

"Like when you left for Yale." She whispered.

"Yeah." He admitted.

"But look at all you've done, look at what you've achieved, your rowing team is the top of the Ivy league board, you go out running, you're in med school! I mean med school! You found your dream and you grabbed it with both hands!" she said with a grin to him.

"And you Jane?" he asked her.

"I'm right here." She said with her nose upturning like it did when she decided something. "By your side." She whispered. "Where I belong."

He smiled and hugged her and keeping her close "Then I know I'm in the right place."

* * *

Andy's eyes were wide as he watched Jane come down the stairs. It was five hours later and they were readying to go to the 'Autumn ball'. The frat demanded it, although Andy certainly could change it he was never about to. Sometimes a little dance is all you needed to end the 'start of school' blues which often spread among the fraternity.

But today was the chance to take Jane. To walk in that room with the girl he loved on his arm.

And she certainly didn't disappoint.

The dress was form fitting silhouette and low décolleté with only small green flowers in a line over her shoulder the sheer overlayer is enhanced by the solid lamé underlayer and lace flounce at the hem. The whole dress was a green colour and the underlay cream. Her hair was in a bouffant, the back of her hair curled down her back.

"Hello Andy." She whispered with a smile to him.

"Wow!" he said in return which made her laugh.

"The dress was Anne's but she said I could have it and make it up all modern and with the most part of the dress made I could spend the money on the frills and the extras." She smiled.

"This was Anne's!" he exclaimed before he cleared his throat. "No wonder Gilbert fell for her." He said with dry a dry smile. "Shall we?"

Jane was highly amused by the change in Andy as he greeted his Yale friends. It wasn't a bad change exactly, just a more formal Andy then she knew. One boy had stood them for a full five minutes. Although Andy could see Jane didn't find him very interesting se stood sweetly and charmed him all the same.

* * *

"You ought to be careful Andrew." The boy had told him. "She's too good for you mate."

Andy had smiled while Jane looked horrified. "You don't need to tell me!" he exclaimed.

Another boy had joined in the teasing "You ought to get a ring on her."

Andy blushed. "Well we've only been courting a few weeks."

"But when you know you know." The first boy smiled.

"And after your career as a serial bachelor, you need a good woman to tell you what to do." The second said.

"And with that…" Andy said with a smile "Gentlemen I believe the first dance is looming, we ought to get on the dancefloor. Jane?" he said holding his hand out to her which she willingly took. They moved to the dancefloor where Andy took her in his arms as the band started.

"Can I ask you something?" Jane asked Andy.

"Go ahead." He said.

"Everyone here calls you Andrew." Jane said to him with a smile.

"Yes." He whispered. "It is my name." he said lowly.

She laughed "Yes, but we always called you Andy."

"Which is short for Andrew."

She slapped him playfully on his chest and giggled "Andy!" she exclaimed "Is it a Yale thing?" she said with a teasing tone "are you too proud to be Andy now?" she asked him.

"My dad introduced me as 'Andrew', I mean it's what he calls me, so it stuck." He shrugged.

She looked up to him and gazed "Which one do you prefer?" she asked him.

"Oh, I um…" he said confused. "I don't care." He admitted.

"Really?" she asked him.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "Either, or." He then looked at her "Oh but don't call me Andy in front of my mother." He said.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"'I named you Andrew not Andy'." He quoted.

"Okay." She said sounding terrified "No pressure!" she laughed.

He laughed with her. "I love you Jane." He whispered. "You fit in so well here love." He whispered. "And just so you know I fully intend on getting a ring on that finger."

Jane smiled and then whispered into his chest "I fully intend on saying 'yes.'"


	26. Epilogue

**1902**

On the corner of Water Street stood a big yellow house. The house bursting with life and yet had not stopped growing. The house had an outlook over the sea so although the garden wasn't the biggest in the world, the children which lived there had the shore with red sands as a playground which did them just fine. As it was, today the children did play in the garden. Inside the house, downstairs lay five rooms, two front rooms one to the east of the house and one to the west, a kitchen a dining room. The significance was of course that the house wasn't home to just one family but two, and a doctor's surgery. The front room to the east belonged to the Blythe's and the west belonged to the Watson's. The house boasted nine bedrooms and the study was large enough for the doctors to run an in-house surgery. When one doctor was running surgery the other was on call. As promised the elder of the partnership Doctor Gilbert Blythe made good on his word to the younger Doctor Andrew Watson and had a thriving practice for them both which covered all of Charlottetown. The younger Doctor's father had made good on his word, securing his son's future by making it well known among several of the well to do families of The Blythe and Watson surgery.

Two sisters did sit on the veranda a small table shared between them the two sisters scribbled away pages of paper between them. Both their red hair blew in the slight sea breeze one sisters curl came free of her hairstyle.

Andy was confused as he came through the house, though when he met the veranda even he admitted he shouldn't have been. He smiled watching the two sisters scribbling away, he walked over and kissed the younger in her hair. "You should be careful in your condition Jane." He whispered and moved round and rubbed her stomach. "You know too much sun is bad for the baby." He smiled.

"You're being over protective." Jane smiled at him with a kiss on his lips as he sat with them "Too little is harmful for the baby too." She grinned.

He rolled his eyes and looked at her "What you two writing?" he asked them.

"New novel." Anne said not looking up scribbling away.

"The Column for the newspaper." Jane smiled. "Are you in a lull love?" she asked him.

"Believe it or not, all day its been the summer cold." He admitted.

Jane nodded "You know Mrs Johnson told me today that I didn't need to write." To which they both smiled at each other "that my husband makes us more than enough money and I should be happy to be a 'kept women'." She smiled.

"If only she knew." He said shaking his head. "It's not about the money." He exclaimed.

"She said it was 'shameful' for me to be 'making a living', especially in my condition." She said stroking her 7-month belly again.

"Shameful huh?" Andy laughed. "Well I suppose I shouldn't be quite so proud of you then?" he questioned looking at Jane with the same look of admiration in his eyes as he gave her when they were six years old

"And, she said it was terrible that both the young doctor's wives were working women when their men worked so hard!"

"Oh?" Anne said her head shooting up. "Young?" she questioned. "Gilbert will be glad to hear that!"

"Will I?" he said coming out the door. Anne smiled as he sat with them "that's good to know."

"Mrs Johnson called you 'young'." Anne said with a smile to him.

He grinned widely before he said "I'm flattered." He said with a smile.

"You shouldn't be too flattered." Jane said to him. "Apparently it's shameful to have your women working."

"Stuff and nonsense." Gilbert said with a shake of the head "If our girls want to work they can, if they don't they can stop." He shrugged.

"Here here." Andy said with a smile.

Anne looked up to Gilbert and gave a smile. "Is it quiet in the surgery?" she asked him.

"No…" Gilbert admitted "…just the…"

"Summer cold." Andy joined in with a chuckle to Gilbert.

"You too?" Gilbert asked.

"Yeah, all day." Andy admitted.

"Can you boys keep an eye on the children?" Anne asked. "Joyce?!" Anne called to her oldest daughter now fourteen. "Come and help mammy and Aunt Jane make lunch." She called.

"Coming mother." Joyce called. Joyce came running up the garden and Jane smiled "You know she is getting more and more beautiful every day Gilbert." Jane said with a smile to her brother in law "I hope you're ready for all the boys to start paying her attention." Jane said with a teasing smile.

"What?" Gilbert asked his eyebrows furrowing.

"All the little boys." Jane teased.

"No no." Gilbert said shaking his head.

"Oh I remember the days." She teased more as Anne and Jane went inside with Joyce.

"Was she being serious?" Gilbert asked Andy, who simply laughed.

"That's Jane." He said with a smile to the door.

Anne and Jane laughed as they came through the door. "You'll worry him to death Janey. You know how to tease."

"What kind of sister would I be if I didn't tease." Jane smiled.

Anne looked to her sister proudly "Have you found yourself yet Jane?" Anne asked her sweetly.

Jane looked at her with merriment in her eyes, there was something to be said about the path she had chosen, the way she had learned who she was. The battle she had with herself about not becoming just like Anne, or Mary or any of the other Shirley children. The battle of knowing what she believed in and really wanted to be. A daughter, a sister, a wife a mother. She smiled as she remembered the people who had helped her find her way, her parents, her siblings, Gilbert and most of all Andy. Few people she felt had never stopped believing in her, but it seemed her family were the ones who always believed in her, to see who she was.

She held her tummy feeling the child within her move, somewhere along the way she found out the truth.

She was never going to be anyone else.

She was bold and beautiful, a feminist and a mother, a sister and a daughter and she could change the world.

And no one else could do that.

But Jane.

* * *

(By the time Andy would have started at medical school the better medical schools extended their courses for doctors from three years to four years. Yale I would imagine be one of the better ones! Hence why there is maybe what some of you might be thinking is an extra year. Its intentional!)

 ** _Here lies the end of the Drawing Parallels universe (At least for now, unless anyone has any bright ideas for it). It's been an honour creating this world for Anne, for my imagination. I've loved watching little Jane grow that little sweet Jane! I hope I've done her justice. Thank you all for following and reviewing! It's been a blast!_**

 ** _love Carrots x_**


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